Lost and Found
by Funkatron
Summary: Sequel to Haunted Destiny. Life as a halfa just got more complicated as Danny has to deal with his new status, his new love and the return of his long lost cousin
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes: New Year, new story. Welcome to "Lost and Found", the sequel to "Haunted Destiny", part of the Haunted Destinies Saga. This one shall be long, so be prepared for a nice ride. I'm going to try and get more of a consistent release schedule in order to please my fans, so rejoice! Enjoy this little prologue.**

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Start of Volume 2 

Lost and Found Prologue

She finally had him.

Valerie Grey lay there, waiting patiently for her prey to show itself. Patience wasn't one of the girl's strong suits; she would rather just hit the ghost head on and be done with it. She was the 'shoot first ask questions never' type of hunter; but this prey was trickier than that. She was forced to try something different with him. She was forced to wait, to plan, to be patient. She had to work harder with this one, which would only make his capture all the more fruitful. After all, this was the ghost who had ruined her life: Phantom.

She didn't know why but things had changed abruptly with Phantom. The spook had become scarce, which simply annoyed her to no end. It wasn't as if he wasn't seen at all: whenever a ghost showed up, Phantom was there, supposedly protecting the citizens of Amity Park. Valerie couldn't believe that the city bought into that lie. She wouldn't have been surprised if Phantom had a deal with other ghosts to cause trouble, so that he could play hero. She wouldn't believe that the ghost, any ghost, was there to protect the city. He was a menace to society, a pest that needed to be dealt with. And she was the exterminator.

The problem was that whenever he did show up, he didn't stick around. By the time anyone else had shown up, he was already long gone. He'd take down whatever ghost he was fighting and disappear without a trace, and he got quite good at it, too. She hadn't been able to even take a shot at him recently and she knew she wasn't the only one: the Fentons, and even the Guys in White had a hard time keeping a tab on the elusive phantasm. It infuriated her. He was toying with the ghost hunters, making himself look like the hero while they looked like amateurs.

With no other options in mind, Valerie was forced to be sneaky. Instead of attacking Phantom, she stood back, watching and waiting. She would stake out the most common places ghosts would attack, watching for any type of patterns in the ghost boy's movements. It took many fruitless nights after work, either listening in on the police scanner for ghost sightings or doing research on what everyone knew (or thought they knew) on the specter. Finally she found something: a pattern. It wasn't obvious to see at first but after going over the data, she found that Phantom had a definite patrol route: going from Casper High, to the Nasty Burger, to the hospital, and finally to FentonWorks. The last one made sense in a way: there was a ghost portal there. She found it ludicrous that the Fentons didn't have better security: he practically lived with them as far as she knew.

She finally decided where to stage her ambush. A block away from the Fenton household was an old, rundown building that was ready to be demolished in a few weeks. She used that as her base of operations, setting up for her encounter. She spent a couple of nights surveying the sky discretely, catching glimpses of Phantom here and there. The problem was that she needed two things: something to lure him and something to wear him down. The answer to both those questions would be a ghost. She hoped that she would catch Phantom off guard during one of his battles and would finally be able to enact her brand of justice.

Her time came. She was lucky that the one ghost she hoped would come did: Skulker. She considered him an enemy, but at the moment he was doing her a major favor. Last year, the ghost had captured both her and Phantom, forcing them to join forces as he hunted them down like wild animals. It was one of the few times she was stupid enough to trust Phantom; weeks later he ratted her out to her father about her ghost hunting hobby during the Ghost King incident. She knew Phantom and Skulker had a history and that any fight between them would be longer than usual, and would probably wear the spook down enough for her to spring her trap.

Skulker seemed to have the same idea as she did: he was scoping out the Fenton home, probably in hopes of capturing Phantom for himself. It didn't seem to work, because moments after showing up, the guest of honor arrived, slamming into the mechanical hunter and sending him sprawling. The two circled each other and then the fight was on. As Valerie watched, waiting for her chance to enter the ring, she noticed a few things. First of which was that Phantom was good, really good. It had been months since she had crossed paths with him, but she could see the difference in the way he fought. He hit Skulker fast and hard, knocking him around like a rag doll at times. Valerie also noticed that the spook was noticeably silent. There was none of his usual witty banter, no wise cracks of any kind. Not even a smile graced his lips. His face was grim and determined as he swiftly beat Skulker before sucking him into a Fenton thermos.

Valerie wasn't sure how to proceed; her plan was revolving around Skulker giving Phantom a run for his money. She was going to have a tougher time capturing him now. Then again, this was a rare opportunity. She was ready; she felt confident that she could take him down. Activating her rocket sled, the hunter launched herself in the air, heading straight for the ghost. Blasters appeared on her wrists as she took aim and fired, hoping to catch him off guard. It didn't seem to work as Phantom dodged her first blast. He flew out of the way as she whizzed by him. She turned and faced him, a determined look showing behind her visor. Danny's expression, once he realized who had attacked him, turned from grim to mildly annoyed.

"Oh. It's you," he said in a dull tone. Those three words seemed to have an effect on the hunter, igniting a fire in her gut. Her scowl darkened as she steadied her aim.

"The hell it's me!" she hollered, "I'm here to take you out for good, spook!"

"Do we have to do this now?" Phantom scoffed indifferently, souring Valerie's mood further. Who the hell did he think he was, looking down on her like that? "I'm sorry, but can we do this later? I have to do another sweep of the city before midnight. I can't play tonight, so go run on back home and let the big boys handle ghost hunting." That did it; Phantom's words were like a match in a room full of dynamite. The crimson hunter was practically fuming now, her temper rising with every waking moment.

"This isn't a game, spook. Tonight is going to be your last!" And with that she charged, firing away as she advanced. To her surprise, the ghost dodged the first salvo, ascending lazily out of her reach. She followed suit, not backing down as she continued her assault.

"This is ridiculous," Phantom commented, "I don't have time for this. Just leave me alone and let me do my damn job!"

"You mean pretending to be a hero so everyone will like you?" she jeered as she gave chase. Try as she might, she couldn't even land a shot on him, "Fat chance. You're no hero and I'm going to make the city see you as the fake you really are!" She noticed that Phantom seemed to waver at her remark, as if it really hit home. Her suspicions were confirmed when his eyes flashed with anger.

"Alright, fine," he replied in a dark tone she'd never heard him use before, "You want to play? Let's play." Phantom suddenly stopped his retreat, facing his foe without any visible fear. Valerie stopped as well, a good distance away. They eyed each other, neither one backing down. Suddenly he shot like a bullet towards her. Valerie, not one to turn down a challenge, did the same, beginning their game of chicken, hundreds of feet above the city streets. Neither side showed signs of slowing down as the distance between them shrank at a dangerous pace. At the last possible moment, a well aimed green blast tore into her sled, sending her tumbling down to the ground. The girl screamed as she was now playing chicken with Mother Earth, and she was about to lose.

She stopped with a jolt a mere few feet above a nearby roof top. She looked up to find that Phantom had saved her, a neutral look on his face. He then, just as quickly, let go, letting her drop the last few feet onto the ground with a thump. She growled under her breath as she got up, her pride bruised more than her body. She shot a glare towards Phantom, who landed a few feet in front of her.

"You dirty…" she began as fury took over and directed a kick to the ghost's head. He dodged the kick, as well as countless others as Valerie put every karate move she knew to good use. Every miss just made her even angrier as she doubled her speed. She finally thought she had him cornered as his back hit a chimney. She pulled back confidently and swung with a good old fashioned haymaker. She was so engulfed in anger and vengeance that she forgot one detail: he was a ghost. Her punch sailed harmlessly through his head, landing instead on brick and mortar. She let out a hiss as the pain coursed up her arm. She turned around angrily, only to find Phantom's fist, alive with ectoplasm, heading for her own head. She froze, forgetting about the pain, forgetting about her revenge. The only thing she could do was shut her eyes and wait for the impact.

She heard a small explosion detonate next to her ear, as well as the crackle of energy. She opened her eyes and looked to find his fist embedded in the brick right next to her head. The scorched smell of ozone assaulted her even from inside her suit.. She turned back to Phantom and felt something she hadn't felt in a long time: fear.

Valerie had never been afraid of ghosts, not really. Back when she was in the A-list at school, she ignored the weirdness the city was afflicted with. All she cared about was her status and her friends. Her father's job at Axion Labs had assured both for her. That all changed when Phantom showed up and ruined it all. Even then, she wasn't afraid; instead she wanted revenge. Valerie was always driven, something her father said she had in common with her mother before she died. She never gave up on a challenge. When she first took up karate, she was instantly singled out because she was one of the few girls in the class. While some of the other girls left, she stuck with it, eventually beating out most of the boys in the process. So when her social status was threatened by a white haired ghost, she didn't run away. Instead, she faced it head on, choosing to hunt him down and make him pay.

Now was a different story. For the first time ever after meeting the ghost, she was actually scared of him. His eyes glowed menacingly at her, showing no emotion. He pulled his fist from the still smoking crater he had created next to Valerie's head. She stared into those eyes, her mind racing. He could have easily done that to her head. When did he ever get this strong? Or was he always this strong?

"You were right," he simply stated. She blinked in confusion, unsure of what he meant, "This isn't a game. That's a fact I'm all too aware of. That's why I'm only going to say this once: quit. Stop trying to be a ghost hunter. If you can't beat me then you can't cut it. An amateur like you is just going to get yourself killed. Just go back home where it's safe." Valerie didn't move an inch, her eyes wide with terror. She didn't even dare to breathe as she watched to see if he would do anything else. They stood like this for a moment before Phantom simply turned around and flew off, disappearing into the night.

The moment he left the scene, she collapsed onto her now wobbly knees, the fear bearing down on her shoulders. The mask of her suit receded as she gasped for air. Her stomach suddenly seized up as its contents resurfaced and she heaved upon the rooftop. Her eyes watered as sobs racked her body with fierce intensity…

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Valerie woke up with a start, her body covered in a cold sweat. It took her a few moments to catch her breath as she turned to look at the time: 10:30 pm. She had only been asleep for an hour. She cursed herself for having that blasted dream again. It had been a few months since she had last had it. The memories of that night six months ago still haunted her to this day. It was that night that she officially gave up ghost hunting.

Her father had been more than thrilled over the news. Ever since he found out about her extracurricular activities, he had been openly against her fighting ghosts. He had always leaned on the overprotective side: he had lost his wife all those years ago and wasn't about to lose his only child as well. She had resorted many times in the past to sneaking out of the house, or simply doing it whenever her father had a late night on the job. When she told him that she wouldn't ever do it again, he was thrilled, albeit apprehensive of why she had done so of her own free will. He knew more than anyone else how unshakable she was once she set her sights on something. She never told him, however, and he, to his credit, never pried.

With her lust to hunt Phantom now suppressed, Valerie decided to focus on other things, mainly her part time job at the Nasty Burger. She used all the energy she would have used on hunting there, quickly going up the ranks of the restaurant till she became an assistant manager during the night shift. She worked hard and quite enjoyed it; though she couldn't shake off the feeling she was missing something.

She sat up and she hugged her knees up against her chest. She knew it would be a while before she could sleep again. Instead, she let her mind wander for the umpteenth time onto the past couple of weeks, more specifically, the revelation that she learned while she was held captive by ghosts: that Danny Fenton, the goofy boy she once dated, and Danny Phantom, the ghost she thought she had despised, were one and the same.

She wondered how that even worked. How could someone be alive and be dead at the same time? And what exactly happened that made him that way in the first place? She had a hunch it was something his ghost obsessed parents did. Speaking of them, did they know all along? Was it some kind of experiment that they performed on him or was it an accident? How long did Sam and Tucker know? How could they even trust him? He was a ghost for Pete's sake! Or was he?

She shook her head to clear out all the questions that popped up. She decided to focus on what she did know: of how a lot of what was weird about both Fenton and Phantom suddenly made sense. For example, how she had never seen both of them in the same place at the same time. Or how goofy he acted at times; Fenton also seemed to disappear whenever a ghost attack occurred. One of the biggest coincidences that explained it was the sudden mood shift in Danny that occurred a year ago. Right around then was when Phantom changed as well: he became scarce to everyone. Something must have happened to change them… him so dramatically.

She was so confused. Valerie had so many conflicting images of him that she didn't know who the real Danny was. Was he the goofy, loveable boy whom she had a crush on? Was he the ghost that seemingly ruined her life and social status? Was he the hero Sam and Tucker seemed to think he was? Or was he that thing she had met that night. She shivered as memories came flooding back. If he had been just plain evil or cunning like Skulker or the Ghost King, she could handle it. But what she saw in those eyes: there was no hatred or even contempt. They were just cold, almost dead. They still gave her the chills.

She knew the only way to deal with this whole mess was to confront him face to face. The problem was that she wasn't sure she was quite up to meeting him again after so long, not after knowing his secret. She didn't know if she'd end up attacking him, or worse, break down into a blubbery mess. Neither prospects were what she had in mind, but she needed an explanation to all this confusion and was going to damn well get one… and soon.

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**AN: A little short, but to the point. Welcome to my next story, the sequel to "Haunted Destiny". This one is going to be a bit more ambitious, as I'll be juggling a lot: multiple plot threads, a boat load of characters, both good guys and bad (especially the bad). Speaking of bad, my villains are OC's, as were the Pyres, so I hope I get them fleshed out enough for you to enjoy.**

**I had a lot of ideas of how to write the prologue. I ultimately chose to do a dream/flashback, depicting Danny back when he was in jerk mode (or as Tucker shall call it, when he was all emoed out). We see what happened to rough and tumble Valerie that made her quit ghost hunting. With Danny's secret now blown, I wonder how'll she react? Will she continue her grudge? Will they have a heart to heart and mend broken bridges. Will she deathly afraid of our hero? And how will she react when she finds out Danny and Raven are a couple? I wonder.**

**Special thanks to one of my new betas, Em Phantom. She, along with my other beta, Fulcon, shall make sure my chapters are error free (or as error free as it gets) **

**One question to my more seasoned fans: know any sites where I can go to for names? I've got at least half a dozen baddies I need names for. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this next story. I hope not to disappoint.**


	2. Chapter 1: The More Things Stay the Same

**Author's Note: Another fun Romp. Welcome to Chapter 1. You didn't have to wait long, now did you? My goal is to give you guys a new chapter every Saturday. Hopefully, I can succeed. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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Lost and Found Chapter 1: The More Things Stay the Same… 

Life was good.

Danny was never a fan of using old clichés, but in this case he had to admit: life was good. If you had asked him only a few weeks ago how his life had been fairing, he would have told you otherwise. Before, he was in a perpetual state of angst and turmoil. He was never happy and the only satisfaction he got was from hunting ghosts, though even with that, it wasn't as filling as he would have liked. He kept everyone, his family and friends, at arm's length, in foolish attempt to protect them. All of that changed, however, when his parents took a job to track down ghosts in Jump City and took his sister and him along for the ride. It was then that he met the person that he could thank for his current, nearly euphoric state: Raven.

The half ghost was currently in the Titan's training room, doing a light workout. After two weeks or so of being bedridden after his last battle, he had finally been able to leave the medical bay… or rather, he had decided bust himself out. Truth be told, he felt restless being in bed twenty-four seven. He felt that every day he lost there was another day for him to get soft. Although he had changed recently and he wasn't as obsessive as he was before, his reason for training was still there: Danny wanted to be at his best, so that he would be able to protect the best he could.

He currently was working on the new punching bag the Titans had installed, re-enforced chain and all. The last one had suffered an ill fate, being viciously assaulted by Danny back when he was what Tucker referred to as his "emo" state. This time, however, he wasn't beating it senselessly while he battled internal demons. Instead, he used it as a way to clear his head, which it often did. He thought about how much he had actually changed in only a few weeks time: he wasn't depressing or gloomy (how Beast Boy described him) anymore, though he wasn't the naive boy he used to be, either. He couldn't necessarily go back to that; times had changed. He needed to be focused on his heroic duties yet at the same time, he knew now his true strength lay with his family and friends.

Speaking of his friends, he thought about Sam and Tucker back in Amity Park. The two had called him nearly every day, providing him much needed support as he recuperated from his injuries. He was glad that he was able to patch up the friendship he nearly destroyed with his ignorance and stupidity. Both of his friends were worried about his injuries, Sam more so than Tucker, though she furiously denied it. Danny could tell though, as her voice always faltered slightly whenever he fell victim to a coughing fit (as a result of the strain of the massive ghostly wail he had used in the last battle). Tucker brought a refreshing lightheartedness that Danny had missed a great deal. They joked and kidded like it was the good old days, though Danny knew things weren't necessarily the same. Speaking over the phone was one thing; meeting face to face when he headed back home would be another matter.

Though his friends provided him with much encouragement, the one who helped him on the road to recovery the most was Raven. He audibly sighed as his thoughts went to the sorceress he was smitten with. Thanks to the damage she had sustained, she, too, was laid up in the medical bay along with Danny, providing much needed companionship for the halfa. The two used the time together to their advantage, getting to know one another. The budding couple was still reluctant to let the others know about their relationship, so whatever communication that did occur between them was done in secret. This, of course, was complicated by Jazz, who seemed to make it a hobby of teasing them. They eventually found a solution to peacefully converse: often times, the Titans found the two reading in silence; though in reality they were holding conversations via psychic link.

"There you are," a familiar voice called from the door way. Danny turned to find Raven, who entered the room as the doors swooshed shut behind her, "You know, you didn't have to sneak out of the medical bay. We were going to discharge you today, anyway."

"I know," Danny replied with a playful grin, "Just wanted to catch up with all the training I've missed while I was out of commission." He noticed immediately the stern look that sprung from Raven's face, "And no, I'm not overdoing it. I'm taking it easy, like you ordered, doc."

"Good," she said in an approving manner, her expression softening. "I worked pretty hard at fixing you up. Don't be in a hurry to get hurt again."

"And you do such good work, too," Danny complimented as she finally reached him. Grinning, he bent down and kissed her full on the mouth. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, enjoying every moment. Their lips parted, both of them with a breathless look on their face. "The coast is clear, right?" Danny asked after clearing his head, "I mean, the last thing we need is Jazz interrupting us. Again."

"I've already suggested to you a solution to that problem," Raven replied in subtly playful manner.

"Somehow, I don't think my parents would appreciate if their eldest daughter started clucking like a chicken," Danny deadpanned, "Let's keep that as our backup plan, though. Seeing my sister laying eggs would be fun to watch."

"I keep that spell memorized, just in case the boys act a little bit too rowdy in the tower," Raven sardonically replied.

"Speaking of the others," he said, "Although the whole sneaking around thing is exciting and everything, you do realize we're going to have to tell the others about us. It is only a matter of time that they find out, if they haven't already."

"I know," she replied as they held each other close, his arms around her. "Trust me, I know. I don't think Starfire can last much longer keeping it to herself. Robin probably suspects, though I'm surprised that he hasn't mentioned anything. Cyborg and Beast Boy are going to have a field day once they find out."

"They can't be as bad as my sister," Danny retorted.

"Your sister, I can handle. Those two take teasing to a whole other level. They had a field day when Robin and Star finally got together."

"Still, we can't keep this a secret forever," Danny stated. Raven simply nodded in response. She looked like she was deep in thought on the matter. Suddenly, her face changed, as if she remembered to do something. Pulling away, she grabbed the halfa's hand and began to drag him towards the door. "Hey! Where are we going?"

"Just follow me," she answered cryptically. She ended it there, failing to elaborate further. Danny simply shrugged while being led by Raven through the tower.

JPJPJPJPJPJPJPJPJPJPJP

"Good Morning, Jump City!" a cheery anchorman greeted, "This is Geoff Johns."

"And I'm Tara Strong," his partner interjected, in an even more cheerful manner than him.

"And welcome to 'Jump City Today'," they said in unison.

"Here is what's happening today," Tara continued, "Much of Jump City is still recovering after a string of ghost attacks threatened the city. The attacks culminated in two weeks ago, as what appeared to be a large dimensional portal that blotted out much of the city sky."

"The plans of the ghosts in question, which still remain a mystery, were stopped by our own Teen Titans, with help from an unlikely source: the enigmatic ghost known as Danny Phantom," the male announcer resumed. The scene changed on screen, as they showed a stock footage of Phantom in action. "The heroes were also helped by renowned ghost specialists Jack and Maddie Fenton from Amity Park, Oregon. Though there have not been any supernatural occurrences since the incident, the Fenton's have decided stayed in Jump City at the moment to ensure there isn't another outbreak."

"The damage sustained during the rampage of the spectral deviants was extensive, with much of the downtown area still in shambles. Work has already begun on the affected areas, though city officials have said that there would need to be extensions in the emergency budget. In other news…"

The TV continued to drone on about the local news, though few commuters gave notice as they rushed through the busy bus terminal. A few overnight buses had arrived early that morning, brining in visitors to Jump City. Some were there for business, but many were merely tourists, hoping to view the sights and sounds that the city had to offer; most notably, to catch a glimpse of the world famous Teen Titans in action. Few of them seemed perturbed by the recent supernatural in the city; in fact, it seemed to excite them even more. Many of them were even curious to see the enigmatic ghost boy, Danny Phantom.

One person in particular had been paying attention to the previous story avidly; a single figure amongst the crowd. It was short, and petite, standing out of the way of traffic. Though the clothing probably used to be baggy and loose at one time, it now seemed to be a few sizes too small and very worn down; the sleeves ending abruptly a few inches before the wrists. The hood of the sweatshirt they wore was worn tightly, mostly hiding their face; though a tuft of raven black hair could be seen sticking out. The size and contours of the body suggested that the figure in question was female; one that was just budding into pubescence.

The moment TV had begun its report of the attack and Titans, she gave her undivided attention. She seemed almost mesmerized as she watched, especially when the ghost boy was mentioned. Once the news moved on the other topics, however, she lost interest. Her focus no longer captivated, she brought her arms up and began to stretch. It had been somewhat of a long trip, or at least it had felt that way in her 'seat'. Six hours hiding in the lower storage department of a bus was more than enough for her. She was more than relieved to be free from that cramped, coffin-like space and was surprised she had even survived the ordeal. Hopefully, it would have been worth it.

She suddenly froze as waves of pain suddenly overtook her fragile body. She would never get used to this, which was happening more and more frequently. Along with the pain, she could feel the more than familiar sensation of her body deteriorating. She didn't have to look down to realize that there was a puddle of green goo forming underneath her. She quickly shut her eyes and concentrated, her eyebrows furrowing under her hood. She focused as hard as she could on staying solid, the only way she knew how to combat this problem of hers.

Slowly but surely, the aching subsided, though it was a lot harder to subdue than the last time this happened. She opened her eyes cautiously and breathed a huge sigh; the lower half of her body was all there and there was no sign of any goo. Her gaze quickly turned upward, her eyes darting back and forth, to determine whether anyone had witnessed her predicament. Fortunately, everyone was too busy rushing to their destinations to notice. Tugging on her hood, she melded into the crowd, hiding among the sea of people.

She was determined now. She didn't know how many more times she could go through that before she finally disappeared completely. There was no time to waste now. She had to meet him: Phantom. He was probably the only one who could help her. No, that was wrong. There was another person, but she promised herself never to deal with him again; that and there was no guarantee he would help her anyway. Phantom was her only chance now. That is, if he was still here. It was a risk she had to take. She was too afraid to ever go ask for help when he was in Amity Park; that person would probably be watching. The Fenton's were still in town, so she hoped that held true for the ghost boy as well...

With her mind set, the girl pulled out a tourist map she had recently acquired before arriving there. It showed all the hot spots of the city, though one in particular caught her eye: the island with the giant T. If Phantom was anywhere, it would be there. And if he wasn't, she was sure the Titans would know where to find him. They were superheroes, after all. They would help her. After surveying her surrounding, she began her trek to the harbor, which was a good deal away, when she felt a chill at the pit of her stomach. Her mouth opened, revealing ominous blue mist. Her eyes scanned the area again. Darn it; she thought she had lost it a few changeovers back. How did it track her? Her feet carried her forward as fast as she could as she made her way to the exit.

Unbeknownst to her, four eyes glowed menacingly. They had been tracking their prey's scent for a long time now as it tried to elude them, though that didn't matter. Soon, it would be captured and the master would be pleased.

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"Come on, Rae," Danny began, "Where are we going?" The sorceress had been relatively silent during their trip through the tower. Whenever she did respond, she would answer cryptically, traces of a devious smile dancing across her lips.

"You'll know when we get there," she answered, finally arriving in front of the door to the common room. "Speaking of which..." Danny was going to pepper her with more questions, before being silenced by a single kiss on the lips, "You may want to transform," she suggested. She suddenly encased herself with black energy and phased through the wall, leaving the halfa dumbfounded. Shrugging, Danny went ghost, transforming into Phantom, before phasing through the doors himself.

Despite it being morning, the room was unusually dark; not only were the window shades pulled down, but no one had bothered to turn on any of the lights. The only source of illumination available was from the large screen, which currently displayed the Titan's logo. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the unusual lighting. After a few moments, he could make out the unmistakable outlines of the Titans, as they stood in front of the view screen, their features masked by the contrast of light.

"Uh, guys?" the halfa asked attentively, "What the heck is going on?" The room remained deathly quiet for a few moments as he waited for some sort of response. It came as a spot light came to life, illuminating the floor in front of the Titans.

"Step forward," Robin asked neutrally, not showing any hint of emotion, whether good or bad. Getting a bad feeling, Danny gulped as he complied, stepping into the column of light "Danny Phantom," Robin continued, "We have a few matters to discuss."

"About…?"

"About your history as a hero," he replied ominously, "And whether you should continue to be one."

"Wait, excuse me?" Danny replied incredulously as his temper flared. Where did this guy have the nerve? "Where the heck is this coming from? Didn't I just…"

"You're impulsive," Robin continued, cutting the halfa off before he could say anything more, "You're reckless and cocky. You jump into situations without thinking things through and without any backup. Because of your hotheadedness, you put the lives of our team and our city at risk."

Incredibly enough, Danny stayed noticeably quiet during Robin's assessment, though his clenched jaw spoke volumes of his current state. His emotions boiled in his gut, building up pressure with each moment. He was angry that they could just pass judgment on him like this. He also felt betrayed; after all the suffering he went through, he still didn't hold up to their standards. At the same time, a part of him couldn't help but agree with what Robin was saying. The fact of the matter was, he was right. He was more or less a loose cannon. His lack of restraint put his friends and family in danger. Was he even fit to be called a hero?

"Furthermore," the boy wonder continued after a moment's silence, "You're courageous to a fault. You have a strong sense of loyalty for your family and friends. You are willing to give your all and then some to protect not only the people you care about, but everyone in the city." The sudden change in Robin's tone completely dissolved any fury Danny had been experiencing, replacing it with bewilderment, which clearly shown on the ghost boy's face. "With this said, I and the Titan's Network have no choice but to give you this." Robin stepped forward till he stood at the edge of the light, his hand outstretched with something the size of his palm. Danny looked down and stared at the piece of plastic and metal, a yellow T emblazoned at its center. It took his mind a few seconds to register what exactly he was looking at. He looked up wide-eyed as he realized what they were asking him.

"You want me to be a titan?" he asked, even more confused than before. "Are you sure?" At the back of his mind, he could feel worry and doubt worming their way into his thoughts. After all the trouble he had caused, they were still willing to trust him? What if he just screwed up again?

"We're sure," Robin assured him, the stern tone replaced with a more jovial one, "You have the makings of a great hero and you'd be a valuable asset to the Titan's Network. We couldn't have defeated those ghosts without you."

"I…I don't know what to say…" He still made no move to take the device from Robin's hand, looking at it warily as if it was a snake ready to strike him. His mind was in turmoil, unsure if he was qualified.

"Just take it already," he heard whispered at the back of his mind. He knew the voice immediately: Raven. He glanced over Robin's shoulder to where the other Titans were standing. He saw Raven's silhouette nod in approval and could almost make out a smile. "You deserve it," he heard her speak telepathically. Her encouragement had the desired effect as he let out a sharp breath, exhaling his torrent of emotions. His face changed to one he would normally use to fight off a ghost: one of determination. He confidently placed his hand on the device and lifted it from the titan's hand.

"I'll do my best," he said with conviction, staring into Robin's mask "I won't let you down."

"Alright!"Cyborg exclaimed in enthusiasm. The room's illumination changed once again, as the lights activated and the window shades pulled up, returning everything to normal. Each one of the Titans had a welcoming smile as they surrounded Danny, voicing their congratulations. "Welcome to the team!"

"This is truly glorious!" an exuberant Starfire cheered, "I shall look forward to do the kicking of evil's posterior with you!"

"Dude," Beast Boy piped in mischievously, "Since you're the newb, there is still the matter of hazing." The changeling held up a rubber chicken and a tutu for emphasis. Before Danny could reply, he found himself in the embrace of his mother. The Fentons had been standing on the sidelines during the initiation. Once the lights of the room came back, they quickly made their way to their son. Maddie turned Danny around and quickly peppered his face with kisses before giving him another hug.

"You don't know how proud we are of you, Danny," she wept in pride. Soon both she and Danny were engulfed by the Jack Fenton, who couldn't wait for his turn to congratulate his son.

"That's my boy!" he boasted loudly, grinning from ear to ear. They finally let go of Danny, who was now thoroughly embarrassed; a blush had made its way across his face.

"Guuys," he whined in protest.

"Mom, Dad," Jazz interrupted, "Are you guys trying to traumatize him?" She turned to her brother, winked and then hugged him herself. "Always knew you were a hero," she whispered before disentangling herself.

"Oh yeah, that wasn't too traumatizing," he exasperated.

"Congratulations," he heard from behind. He turned around to find a smirking Raven, who was clearly enjoying his discomfort.

"You could have warned me this was coming, you know," he carped lightheartedly.

"I know," she replied simply, "The look on your face was completely worth it, though. So is this…" continuing what she had started in the training room, the sorceress kissed Danny once again. The room was suddenly bathed in silence as Fenton and Titan alike stared in shock. The hush didn't last long, however.

"BOOYEAH!" Cyborg erupted as he shot a fist in the air, "I knew it!" He pointed an accusing finger at Beast Boy, "You owe me big time!" The emerald titan simply grumbled in reply.

"Glorious!" Starfire harped in gleefully. Both she and Cyborg engaged in a high-five, gaining an intrigued, but somewhat po'd expression from her boyfriend. "We have won the pool of betting, have we not?"

"We sure did!" Cyborg agreed. Their joy did not go unnoticed, as Raven broke off from lip locking (leaving a dazed Danny) and gave her teammates a cold glare.

"You guys are gambling on my private life?" she asked darkly.

"Starfire gambles?!" Beast Boy asked quizzically.

"It was more of a friendly wager?" the alien girl replied sweetly, a hint if mischief in her eyes. "I believe Robin needs to do the paying up now." The boy wonder cleared his throat in distress.

"Aw, man; Star played you, man," Cyborg crowed teasingly. The barbing, however, was abruptly halted as the alarm sounded throughout the tower. All six Titans put on their game faces as the main screen changed, showing a map of the city. A green dot began to flash near the south side. "Looks like some ecto-plasmic activity. Moving pretty fast, too. Not that strong, though. We probably don't all have to go." Robin seemed to weigh in his options before he turned to Danny.

"You think you can handle it?" he asked the halfa, who replied with a mock salute.

"No problem," Danny replied, "I've been itching for some action, anyway. I would probably need some back up, though…" He glanced innocently at Raven, who rolled her eyes.

"Oh, oh!" Jack exclaimed, holding up his hand as if he were a grade student trying to get the attention of a teacher, "Pick me! I'll go—oof!" A swift poke in the ribs from both Jazz and Maddie caused the large man to lower his arm.

"Come on, Casanova," the dark titan quipped as she walked towards the elevator leading to the roof, pulling her hood over her head as she went, "Let's see if you can keep up."

JCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJC

She moved as fast as she could, ducking and weaving through the crowd as she tried to allude her pursuer. She couldn't see it, but the constant tingling sensation in her throat told her it was close; so close, it was practically breathing down her neck. No matter how far she ran, it felt as if she couldn't put any distance in between her and her unseen predator. Instead, the gap seemed to close faster and faster, as the cold sensation running through her body seemed to increase.

That wasn't her only problem; her evasion was taking a toll on her. She silently cursed that she didn't have time to eat something before this happened. Even now she could feel exhaustion setting in. Not only would this eventually lead to her capture, but it would mean she would be too tired to keep herself from melting away. Even now, as she ran, she was desperately focused on not falling apart, both mentally and physically. She hoped that hiding in the crowd would help protect her, though that plan could easily backfire, especially if it was willing to attack her in the crowd.

Unfortunately, it called her bluff as a howl rang through the street. The mass of people looked up to the sound and froze as they saw something resembling a two-headed translucent wolf descending the side of a building. She recognized it immediately: it was one of HIS creations. Both heads growled menacingly, sending the crowd into a panicked frenzy. Screaming soon filled the streets as people scattered from the strangeness their city had to offer. One of the heads sniffed the air and then yelped, pointing into the crowd with its snout. The other nodded in agreement as it shot forward. The mass of people parted, none of them crazy enough to stay in harm's way. The girl turned and made a break for it, pushing through the sea of people as the bi-headed lupus was in hot pursuit.

She was breathing heavily now, the fatigue taking its toll on her body. Despite that, she continued to push forward until she misstepped, falling face first onto the asphalt. She turned to find that the ghost was only a few feet away, eying her fallen form. It sniffed the air again and barked. This was its prey; there was no denying it. The master would be most pleased. Baring its teeth, it stepped forward slowly. Two bright blue eyes shone in fear from under the hooded sweater as the girl scurried backwards. The slow advance turned into a leap as it closed in on its quarry… that is, until a blast of green energy slammed into it, sending it sprawling.

"Bad dog," a voice quipped from above. Shaking off its confusion, the wolf looked up to spot its attacker. The beast was greeted with the cocky smile of the black and white wearing Danny Phantom, "Someone got expelled from obedience school, didn't they?" The ghost boy landed in between the ghost and its prey, his hand still glowing with ectoplasm, "And it looks like you won't be winning any dog shows anytime soon, by the looks of it; not unless 'most gruesome looking' is a category. Be a good boy and back off." The wolf bared both pairs of teeth in response, growling over being interrupted from its mission. One of the heads kept an eye on the girl, not prepared to give her up yet.

Deciding to take its chances, the creature bolted forward, heading straight for the halfa. Danny quickly retaliated, firing the charge that had collected in his hand. The wolf took advantage of its unusual speed, dodging left as it continued to close in. Danny continued to fire shots, each one of them whizzing by the wolf. Grunting in frustration, Danny decided to take the fight to it, flying top speed to intercept. Unfortunately, like his blasts earlier, the wolf dodged him as well, catching the ghost boy by surprise. With its target in reach, the wolf lunged again, causing the girl to scream in terror. Its attack was halted as it crashed into a black, translucent wall of energy. Raven appeared in front of the girl.

"Sit," she uttered, before extending a hand. A bolt of dark energy erupted, slamming into the furry beast with raw force. Swinging her hand, she conjured up a black claw, which promptly grabbed the creature by the tail and slammed it into the ground, its mind now in a complete haze. Before it could wake out of its haze, it felt an unfamiliar sensation of suction overtaking its body. Twin yelps could be heard as it was sucked into an awaiting Fenton thermos. Danny covered the top as the device's whine died down.

"That worked out pretty well," he commented as he made his way to Raven and their rescue. "Hey, kid, how are you…" he stopped as he noticed something familiar about the girl huddled on the ground. His suspicions were confirmed as she shyly removed her hood, revealing black hair tied into a ponytail and a pair of icy blue eyes staring back at him. His own eyes widened in shock as he realized who it was; she was different and older than when they last met but there was no mistaking it, "Danielle?"

* * *

**AN: Hope you liked this one. I especially loved writing the whole initiation scene. It originally was going to make it in the last story's epilogue, but I decided to add it in here. Also, for those who wanted to know what was bet upon between the other Titans, stay tuned.**

**Thanks to all who wrote reviews. You can also post in the new Forums I created for the story, which you can get to from my profile page. I would love to hear your predictions and any story ideas you may have. I also have a request for the more artistic readers. I asked this before and I'm hoping I get more responses now. Does anyone want to do a Valara fanpic? I'd really appreciate it and I may give you something as a gift. Let me know if you're interested.**


	3. Chapter 2: Prodigal Daughter

**Author's Notes: A little late, but here it comes. Chapter 2 is here. I'm glad you guys are enjoying this thus far. This chapter is going to be a bit more talking and introspective. I hope you guys don't get bored.**

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Lost and Found Chapter 2: Prodigal Daughter

Patience was indeed a virtue. Out of all the lessons he had learned over the years, that seemed to be one that kept coming back to Vlad Masters over and over again. Although he did sometimes 'speed things along', his more satisfying plans were ones that were executed with diligence and persistence. It had taken him twenty long years to take him where he was today: a multi-billionaire with more money than he can count.

Then again, there were times where he felt he was being a little bit too patient. One instance of this was, of course, his raison d'être, mainly his lovely Maddie. It had been twenty years and he still wasn't any closer to winning her over. True, by feigning friendship with the family, he was able to get close, often times visiting 'for old time's sake' just to see her gorgeous smile or that auburn hair that drove him mad with desire. But she still wasn't his and she was still in love with that bumbling idiot, Jack Fenton.

Jack was the second on his list of things that he was too patient on. That incompetent buffoon was still alive. How he could keep surviving his attacks, let alone his own idiocy, was beyond Vlad. Though his visits to the Fenton household were brightened by his seeing Maddie, they were more often than not soured by that grinning, forever hyper face. Vlad wasn't blind to the irony; Jack was the one who had stole practically everything from him: his face when he had been inflicted with ecto-acne after that accident, his status at school, and most importantly, Maddie. And yet at the same time, he had him to thank for the amazing power he now possessed. The same amazing powers that he used to build his empire, piece by stolen piece.

Of course, the situation that irritated him the most these past few years was none other than the oaf's offspring: Danny. He saw potential in him. Countless times he had tried to convince the boy that his way was the right way. He was the one who had over twenty years of experience with these gifts. He could teach the boy powers and techniques he probably never knew he had. The truth was, Danny should have been his son; that was one more thing Jack Fenton stole from him. Danny was the perfect offspring: not only was he spawned from Maddie's womb, but he was a half-ghost, like him. He should have been his to teach, his to guide, his to mold into a proper heir. Danny was wasted on that man.

He tried numerous times and failed to persuade the young halfa to join him. Unfortunately, each and every time, he was rejected. Vlad credited it to Danny's breeding: not only did he have the fire that he so adored in Maddie, but the idiotic thick headedness of his Father as well. The combination proved to go against Vlad's wishes as time and time again, Danny had not only rebuffed his advances, but many times managed to best him. The fact that he couldn't harvest that hidden potential infuriated him to no end. With the power he wielded and could wield and with Vlad's tutelage, he could become one of the most powerful entities in recent history. If there was one thing Vlad understood, it was power.

Instead, young Daniel decided to pursue a more heroic route. Vlad could never stomach such rubbish. Selfless heroics had little appeal without some sort of profit. True, the near celebrity hero worship was an interesting concept, but what was the point if you never used it for yourself? He could never understand how heroes could go out and use their powers and yet expect nothing in return. Power was meant to be used for your own gain; anything else was just nonsense. He couldn't see what Danny saw in that lifestyle he seemed to throw himself in almost obsessively. The more Vlad pushed to change Danny, the more Danny pushed back. Eventually, Vlad realized that he was a lost cause. If he had gotten to the boy sooner, maybe it would have been different, but Danny's stubbornness was too much of a hurdle. So if he couldn't have that Danny, why couldn't he make his own?

He sometimes wondered why he chose to try and clone Danny instead of just cloning himself. Despite the fact that Danny was Jack's son, he was also Maddie's as well. A clone of himself would just spawn from him; a clone of Danny would be far more pleasing, despite his tainted ancestry. Unfortunately, he ran into a number of snags, most daunting was the stability issue. No matter how much data he collected on the boy, no matter how many failed experiments, he still couldn't create a stable clone. The closest he ever came to perfection was Danielle. While the others were flawed both mentally and physically, Danielle was neither. Her only imperfection was the one all the clones shared: their eventual degradation.

If Danny had simply let him taken that sample, he wouldn't have been in this predicament. Now, not only was he no closer to finding a way to make his clones complete, he had lost his most successful one. Danielle had betrayed him at the worst possible moment, causing the destruction of his lab in the Rockies and setting him back months. It was ironic now that she was the missing piece that he needed to finally succeed. He needed to find the reason why she had lasted so long. While the other clones merely lived weeks, she had lived beyond that by a full year. Even though she was severely weakened, from what he'd seen of surveillance, it was an amazing feat. If he could deduce what factor allowed her to survive, he may be able to replicate it and extended the time of life.

That's why his current endeavor was so important. Even as he sat there in den of his personal condo in Amity Park, his plan to retrieve his prodigal daughter was already in effect. He would have preferred to use his usual associate, Skulker, for this but that ghost, as well as many others, seemed to have disappeared during the past several weeks. Vlad had a hunch that it had something to do with that fire ghost that was wreaking havoc before Danny and the Teen Titans intervened.

Instead, he had to use one of his own creations. Doing so was a colossal gamble, especially considering where the girl was last seen heading to: Jump City. This close to Danny meant that he would probably interfere and rescue his so called cousin. His plan wouldn't be in total ruins, however; in fact there was a chance he could salvage it all, though it involved some sacrifice. If Danny found Dani, being the heroic character he was, the first thing he would do is to go to his parents for help. That would involve the young halfa to confess to his parents of his dual nature, if he hadn't done so already in the past year. It also would involve the boy telling them how she came into existence; in other words telling them about Vlad. That would mean that Maddie would know. Something told him that she wouldn't see his actions towards Danny and Dani in a positive light.

The scenario would essentially flush twenty years of effort down the drain, but at the same time create a golden opportunity. The Fentons would no doubt find a solution to Danielle's problem, making her whole. He knew Maddie's determination would see to that. Once she was complete, it would be just a matter of extracting her from the Fenton household. Mind you, it would not be an easy feat; not only would he face Daniel, but Jack and Maddie as well. But in the end, he would have the samples he would need in order to create his own son. And who knew? He might even keep the girl as a daughter, if she knew what was good for her, of course.

All he needed to do now was wait.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Danielle?" Danny Phantom uttered as he looked on at his long lost 'cousin'. The last time he had seen her was over a year ago, when she helped him escape from his arch-enemy, Vlad Plasmius. Afterwards, the girl simply disappeared. He had always wondered what had happened to her, especially with the type of condition she had. He never had admitted to anyone, but he always regretted not being able to help her with her problem. And now here she was.

He first noticed that she was different; she had grown the past year. She was definitely taller than what he had remembered and her ponytail was now longer. The rest of her appearance wasn't as positive. If he wasn't mistaken, the clothes she was wearing now were the exact ones she wore back when they had first met: the tattered edges and faded colors showed their age, as well as the fact that they no longer fit her well. She also seemed thinner, almost frail. Her skin was paler than even his was when he was in ghost mode. Also, the young wide eyed wonder and spunkiness that usually shone from her eyes wasn't quite as bright as he remembered.

Danielle could feel a mix of relief and joy bubble up within her. She did it: she finally found him! A smile sprung from her lips as she let her enthusiasm take over. Despite the fatigue that racked her body, she bolted, wrapping her arms around his torso. "Danny!" her muffled voice called out as she stuffed her face into his spandex. She held onto the only family she knew, as if for dear life. Somewhere in between seeing him and embracing him, tears began to stream down her face and sobs shook her delicate form. Danny placed a hand upon her head, stroking it gently. He looked up to Raven, who had a probing yet patient look on her face. She obviously wanted to know who this girl was, but was willing to wait before asking.

He went on full alert once he realized that Danielle's grip suddenly became loose. Looking down, he found that the girl had fallen unconscious, though that's not what got his full attention. His eyes widened as he saw an ever-growing pool of ectoplasm forming under her feet. Danny looked back at Raven, his expression pleading, "Raven," he said in a desperate tone, "You have to try something. Please…" she complied silently, encasing her hands with the blue glow of her healing magic.

As Danny lay the girl down on the pavement, Raven went to work, placing her hand upon the girl's chest. She wasn't even sure what was wrong with her, or whether her powers would even be of any help, but she had to try. As she cast her spell, she could feel that this girl was very much like Danny, which led to the conclusion that she was also half-ghost. At the same time, she could sense that something was terribly wrong. Her body, for lack of a better term, was falling apart at the seams. She knew that even if her powers could do something to help, it was just a Band-Aid. Something permanent would need to be done to save this girl's life, something that was quite frankly out of her league.

Danny watched carefully as his girlfriend went to work on his cousin. Surprisingly enough, it actually had a positive effect; the pool of ectoplasm was slowly but surely receding. After a few moments there were no traces of the liquid and the girl was looking much better than before; her skin looked healthier and her breathing was more relaxed. Raven stood up from her kneeling position and took a look at Danny, a look of doubt in her face.

"That's all I can do," she answered the unspoken question he wanted to ask, "Whatever is wrong with her, I can't heal it completely." The halfa nodded, accepting her diagnosis. Kneeling, he gingerly picked up the unconscious girl, a resolute expression etched onto his face.

"We'll have to get to the Tower as soon as possible," he said sternly, "Mom and Dad should be able to do something." His voice was full of hope; he couldn't let any doubt cross his mind. His feet left the ground as he began his ascent.

"Danny," Raven interrupted, her curiosity finally getting the better of her, "Who is she?" The halfa paused and pondered for a split second before finally answering.

"She's family," he replied matter-of-factly. The lower half of his body fading into a spectral trail, Danny flew faster than Raven had ever seen him, back to Titan's Tower. She followed suit, though found it difficult to keep up. Pulling out her communicator, the sorceress immediately dialed up the main Titan's channel.

"This is Raven, calling the tower. I need the medical bay prepped and ready for wounded. I repeat, prepare for wounded. I also need the Fentons to be ready."

"Raven this is Robin. What the heck is going on?"

"We'll explain once we get there," she explained, "Just be ready for incoming."

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

"I don't understand," Maddie Fenton stated as she entered the medical bay. Her husband followed after, mirroring his wife's concerned look. The recipient of her comment, Cyborg, was the third one to cross the threshold. "Is Danny hurt?"

"Raven didn't say, Mrs. F." Cyborg replied as he looked over all the equipment at one of the beds, "She just said to be ready for anything." He made some final adjustments to the sensors before nodding in approval, "Alright, everything is set."

"Starfire to Cyborg," the comm. in the wall called out, "Cyborg, come in. This is Starfire, calling from the roof. I can see friend Phantom now; he seems unharmed."

"What about Raven," Cyborg asked thoughtfully, "Is she with him?"

"She is following, yes," she confirmed, "Though for some reason, they seem to have a guest. Phantom is carrying someone with him; a young girl." The Fentons expressions seemed to grow even more confused.

"Why bring someone here?" Cyborg queried, "I'm sure the ER could do a better job than we can on civilians."

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Maddie said, confident of her son's judgment. Before they could comment further, Danny phased through the ceiling of the room, landing gently beside the bed. Gingerly, as if handling fragile china, he placed the unconscious girl onto the sheets. He took a final look at the girl before turning towards Cyborg.

"You're going to have to monitor her ecto-plasmic energy levels. Make sure they don't dip too low. And Mom?" he asked as he changed his focus, "I need you to do an IV like you did to me a few weeks ago."

"Hold on; are you saying she's like you?" Cyborg asked in confusion. Before Danny could respond, Jazz chose that moment to enter the room, worry running rampant all over her face. Starfire, Robin and Beast Boy were right behind her.

"Danny?" she sputtered as she scanned the room. She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted her brother and then gave a puzzled gaze at the current occupant of one of the beds, "What's going on, Danny? Who is that?"

"Listen, I know you guys have a lot of questions," the half-ghost replied, "And I promise I'll explain everything to you; but right now, I just want to make sure she's alright before we do anything else." As if on cue, Raven arrived, entering through the room as Danny did minutes earlier. The empathic Titan landed on the other side of the bed wordlessly, her hand quickly igniting with her magic. Placing it on Danielle's chest, she closed her eyes and focused her energies as the glow spread out from her hands until it encompassed the girl's body. The room remained silent for a few moments before she finally pulled her hand back and spoke for the first time since arriving.

"She's stable for now," she stated, "Whatever happened to her before has slowed, but it's still happening…whatever it is."

"I was just about to get to that," he replied. He took a reluctant breath as he prepared himself for an explanation. He had hoped he could explain to his parents the various intricacies of his complicated life over a longer period of time. Unfortunately, Dani didn't have that time. If his parents were going to save her, they would have to know her story…the whole story. And that included his cousin's origins. He closed his eyes and let out the breath he had been holding, feeling the weight of eight pairs of eyes upon him. He opened them again and started his explanation. "This," he started, pointing at the sleeping form, "is Danielle. And she is sort of my clone."

"She's your what?!" Jazz exclaimed her eyes wide with shock, "Since when do you have a clone? And why haven't you told me about her before this?"

"And aren't clones supposed to look exactly alike or something?" Beast Boy interjected inquisitively.

"She pretty much appeared out of nowhere and vanished just as quickly. At the time, I didn't think you needed to know, Jazz. But that's not the issue here."

"So, she's like you? A half ghost?" Maddie asked, trying to get a handle of the situation.

He nodded, "More or less, yes. She's a halfa, except she isn't exactly complete. She's unstable; essentially, she's falling apart. If we don't find a way to fix her, she'll end up as a puddle of ectoplasm. Trust me, I've seen it before." Danny took another big breath before continuing, "Her condition is actually a result of how she was created and who created her."

"The first thing I have to explain to everyone is that as far as I know, I wasn't the first half-ghost hybrid. There was one before me; as a matter of fact, he was the one who created Danielle in the first place."

"Wait, he was the one?!" Jazz interrupted once again, knowing whom Danny was referring to, "I knew he was a certifiable nut job, but to as far as to clone you…"

"Jazz," Danny stopped her sternly, "The identity of the person in question is going to effect a lot of people in this room, so I'd appreciate it if you'd let me explain everything." This, along with the look that he gave her, proved to silence his sister, her face full of understanding. The others, being out of the loop, looked perplexed by the exchange. He turned towards his parents, "Mom, Dad, I actually wanted to explain all of this to you later, but it looks like I don't have a choice in the matter. I just want you to know that no matter how… unpleasant this sounds, that I'm telling you guys the truth."

"Of course we believe you, Danny!" Jack assured. Maddie gave similar words of trust. Danny sighed, suspecting they'd be singing a different tune after he told them everything.

"Do you guys remember the experiment you worked on back in college?"

"You mean our experimental prototype ghost portal?" Maddie recalled, "The one we worked on with Vlad? What about it, sweetie?"

"And you guys remembered what happened to the experiment?"

"I remember that like it was yesterday!" Jack answered, "We tried out the portal, but it malfunctioned and discharged right into Vladdy's face. Gave him a bad case of ecto-acne to boot."

"Unfortunately, it gave Vlad a little bit more than ecto-acne," the halfa replied. Maddie's eyes went wide with realization.

"You're telling me that Vlad Masters is half ghost?!" she relayed her suspicions. Danny simply nodded.

"Hold on; are we talking about THE Vlad Masters?" Cyborg interjected, somewhat excitedly, " The same Vlad Masters who rivals both Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor in green? The guy who tried to buy the Packers three times in the last five years?"

"That's the one," Danny confirmed.

"I don't get it," Jack declared, his voice heavy with uncertainty, "Why wouldn't Vlad tell us that he was a half-ghost? He's our friend."

"Not exactly…" Danny replied, "I don't know how to tell you this, Dad, so I'm just going to have to say it: Vlad isn't your friend; as a matter of fact, he has never forgiven you for the accident."

"But…but…" Jack Fenton's face was full of turmoil as he tried to assimilate the news, "But he said that he forgave me for that…"

"I'm sorry about this, Dad, but that's the truth. He hates you. The accident is only part of it, though. He blames you for stealing Mom away from him."

"He thinks what?" Maddie asked indignantly. "I knew he had a crush on me back in college, but that's completely preposterous! I never even liked Vlad that way."

"Unfortunately, he doesn't necessarily see it like that. Vlad is pretty much obsessed with "winning" you back and just as obsessed with revenge on Dad. Half the ghosts I fought when I first got my powers were sent by Vlad to try and kill Dad."

"Does he have a ghost form, like you do?" Maddie asked, "And have we met it before?" She had a hint of what the answers to both questions were.

"Yes to both questions," Danny responded, "He calls himself Plasmius, though you guys know him as the Wisconsin Ghost."

"Vlad is the Wisconsin Ghost?!" Jack was now clearly in distress. His mind couldn't fathom the fact that the man he thought was his best friend was anything but. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I found out about him during your college reunion a year and a half ago. Unfortunately, that's when he found out about me as well. He's been trying to recruit me ever since. He thinks that he should be the one to teach me about my ghost powers. He also wanted me to reject you, Dad. I think he sees me as the son he never had. When he got the message that I wasn't going to say yes, no matter how much he tried, he decided that if he couldn't persuade me, he was going to just clone me instead."

"So that's why he created Danielle?" Jazz asked, "The question is, why he made her a girl, if he just wanted another you?"

"He had…issues," Danny began to clarify, "There were other clones, but they came out less than perfect. Most of them were mindless, mutated versions of me that were highly unstable; they all eventually ended up melting away. Danielle was different somehow, though. She wasn't mindless like the others and she seems to have lasted longer. She still has the same problem, though: she's unstable. That's why I need your help. If anyone can find a way to stabilize her, it'd be you guys."

Maddie nodded grimly, though internally she was flattered by her son's praise. "Do you have any idea why she's the way she is? I'm going to need as much data as possible in order to see what we can do for her."

"Vlad said something about needing a sample of my DNA while I was in midmorph. He seemed to think that it would stabilize his clone, which is why he tried to get it from me the hard way. He used Danielle and the other clones to distract and capture me. After I made her realize that he was just using her, she helped me escape. Please, if you can do anything…"

"Don't you worry, sweetie," Maddie interrupted, giving him a warm, motherly smile, "Your father and I will do our best." She walked over and gave her son a reassuring hug, hoping to ease his troubled mind. "If we're going to do this, we're going to need tissue samples of both you and Danielle, as well as a scan of both your ectoplasmic signatures. Jack, I'm going to need you to…Jack?" She sighed as she found him still frozen with the same expression of disbelief. "Jack, I know this is hard for you. You thought Vlad was your friend and I'm sorry if you feel betrayed, but Danielle needs us right now. We have to find a way to save her life."

Maddie watched as he finally focused on her, his eyes slightly glassed over. She wasn't sure if her words broke through the cloud of confusion that probably obscured his senses. He finally seemed to shake it off, a little of his usual energetic self returning. Standing up, the burly man's seemed to light up. "I'll go get some equipment from the RV!" he declared before heading out. Smiling, Maddie began to do preparations of her own.

"I'm sure Mom and Dad will be able to do something, Danny," Jazz assured, "Just give them a little time."

"Unfortunately, time is what I'm worried about," he sighed, "She might not have a lot of it left."

"Jazz is right," Raven cut in, "Worry isn't going to get you anywhere. All you can do is have faith in your parents."

"I hope so," he replied, a small sliver of hope echoing in his voice. He gave a faint smile as he stole another glance at his sleeping 'cousin'.

"Come on," the sorceress commanded as she grabbed his arm, "I don't think you've eaten yet this morning. How about we go eat some breakfast?"

"Or lunch," Jazz commented as she pointed at the wall clock. "I think I'll join you guys." The trio soon left the room, followed by Starfire and Robin. Starfire's eyes were wet with compassion after hearing the poor girl's sad story. Determined to give some sort of assistance, the alien decided that some of her Tamaranian cooking would be just the thing to cheer the girl up.

The last people in the room were Cyborg, who was helping Mrs. Fenton with equipment and Beast Boy, who had inched his way closer to the bed. The changeling felt sorry for the girl and the bad lot she had been given. He also couldn't help but feel that this new girl was actually sort of, kind of cute. All plans of food, video games and comics were now gone from his mind as he took a seat next to the bed and hoped that she'd be alright.


	4. Chapter 3: What Ifs

**Author's Notes: So Sorry. I'm a few days late on this. Been sick and had tons of homework (accounting…ugh). Also started a new job (old one stunk) so I'm getting used to that. Overall, I've been busy, but your patience will be rewarded.**

* * *

Lost and Found Chapter 3: What ifs…

"He's late," an irate Sam Manson droned as she sat on her bed, her arms crossed in front of her chest. On the chair next to her bed sat Tucker Foley, who sighed deeply; she was in one of those moods again. Luckily for him, the source of her anger wasn't him. Instead, she seemed incredibly focused on her cell phone, which sat a few feet away on her bed. She scowled at it intently, as if trying to will it to ring. 

"You do realize he's probably busy," Tucker tried to console, though his efforts seemed not to be that effective. 

"So busy that he'd blow us off! After blowing us off for over a year already!"

"Sam, he's been calling us every day ever since he woke up. I'm sure if he could call us he would" She seemed to consider his words, her demeanor calming down somewhat. She did still stared at the phone intently. Finally letting her impatience get the better of her, she grabbed it and dialed the halfa's number. She tapped her foot with irritation as the other line began to ring.

"I hope you have really big reason for ditching us today," she erupted, the first words that came to her coming out of her mouth. Tucker shook his head; Danny was in for it now.

"Sam?" the halfa answered. She waited as she could literally hear the gears of his mind turn. "Oh, man!" he exclaimed in dread, "Sam, I'm sorry. I completely forgot. Something big came up this morning."

"How big?" she asked skeptically, "'Saved the world' big or 'beat your older self' big, cause I don't think even both of those things combined would be enough to excuse you."

"Dani is back," he revealed.

"Wait, your super powered cousin/clone?" she replied, with a bit less rage. Tucker, who had been patiently waiting on the sidelines, motioned for her to put the phone on speakerphone. She complied, pressing a button before placing the phone on the bed, "How did she end up in Jump City?"

"We're not sure yet, but she probably came to see me." Sam noted the sudden drop in Danny's voice as he continued, "Sam, she's dying…" the anger that had been building in the girl's chest suddenly vanished as she could practically hear Danny's heart ache.

"We're sorry to hear that, man," Tucker replied, "is there any way you can help her?"

"Mom and Dad are trying their best," Danny explained, "The fact that they found out about me actually makes it easier. I did sort of had to tell them about Vlad, though."

Sam grimaced at the thought, "Ouch. How did your folks take the news?"

"Mom took it better than I expected. I think she pretty much knew Vlad was a scumbag. Dad, on the other hand, was pretty devastated. He really thought Vlad was his friend. Makes me want to wail on the crazed up fruit loop even more."

"Your parents should be able to figure something out," Sam said in consolation. The goth was now feeling a little guilty for blowing up on Danny like that, "How are you holding up?"

"I guess I'm ok, all things considered. I'm just glad we have a chance at helping her this time. I felt like I didn't do enough last time she showed up."

"Typical Danny," Sam said with a smile.

"You can't do everything, Danny; even if you have superpowers. No one really can," Tucker agreed.

"I know, I know. It just eats me up whenever I can't do anything."

"And that what makes you a great hero. You care. A little too much sometimes, but you still care. Though next time, give us a call when these things happen. We get worried, too."

"Don't worry, I will," Danny smiled. "I have to get going. Mom and Dad are probably going to be probing me for a while in hope of a cure. Talk to you guys later?"

"Sure thing, buddy," Tucker replied.

"Don't get yourself killed, Danny, or I'm so kicking your ghost butt."

"I'll try not to, Sam." The cell then beeped, indicating that the call had ended. Sam turned to Tucker, only to find him staring back with a smug look on his face.

"What?" she asked harshly, causing his smirk to grow even wider.

"You do know you'll have to tell him eventually," he stated.

"Tell who what, exactly?"

"And they call Danny clueless. I mean the whole crush thing, Sam. You've liked Danny for like forever. The whole 'blushing/ fake out make out' thing has been quite amusing over the years, but eventually it gets old. If you want to date Danny, you have to make your move." Sam sat there frozen, unable to make a reply and a crimson blush spreading across her face. It didn't last, however as her brow scrunched up into one of her darkest glares.

"I do NOT have a crush on Danny," she seethed, "And even if I did, it's none of your damn business, Foley!"

"I'm just saying that sooner or later, someone else is going to get Danny if you don't. He's not going to be on the open market forever."

"Out, now!" she bellowed. Tucker, taking his cue, made a dash for the door, but not before being pelted by multiple pillows aimed for his head. He slammed the door shut just as the last one bounced off it. Sam growled in frustration. What the hell was he thinking, saying all of that? The thing was, however, that Tucker was right. She fell back down onto her bed and sighed. She did have a crush on Danny, for a while now. The problem was that she didn't know how to proceed, if she even wanted to. She had always been afraid that Danny would reject her feelings. Her friendship with him was too important to her and she never wanted to jeopardize it with a relationship. That was why when Danny had rejected her and Tucker, it had hit her as if Danny had punched her in the gut himself. Now that they were friends again, she was even more afraid to break it with a confession.

Or maybe it was time to make a move. Tucker had a point: Danny wouldn't be there forever. She wasn't blind to the fact that the more Danny matured and filled out, the more other girls, who before would ignore him, were now stopping to take a second look. Heck, even the ghosts were eyeing him, if that crazy fire ghost was any indication. Was she willing to take the risk? Would she leave things the way things were or bet on love?

TTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTTDPTT

The first thing she noticed was that she was in a bed. It had been a long time since she was in a bed and a comfortable one at that. She almost didn't want to get up, but curiosity got the better of her. She let one eye take a peek at her surroundings. The room was white and sterile, indicating to her that she was in a hospital of some sort. It definitely didn't look like Vlad's laboratory, which had a more dark and sinister look to it. She could various pieces of machinery beeping. She let the other eye open as she took more of the room in.

"Hello, sweetie," she heard being said from her right side. She turned and almost leapt from her bed; that is, if she had the energy to do so. Standing a few feet from her bed was Maddie Fenton. For a moment, she thought that she was at Vlad's lab and that this was his holographic assistant. That theory was put to rest once she realized that this woman wasn't translucent or floating. There was also the fact that her smile was warm, like that of a bright, sunlit day. "I hope I didn't scare you, dear. I'm Maddie, Danny's Mom. You're Danielle, right?" The girl nodded, not yet ready to speak. "Danny told us about your problem. I just want to let you know that Jack and I try our best to get you better, alright?" The girl nodded again, somehow finding warm comfort in the woman's words.

"Jack?" Dani finally croaked, surprised by her own voice. Like magic, the utterance of his name caused Jack to stick his head through the doorway.

"Somebody call for me?" he bellowed energetically. Spotting the now alert patient, the large man made his way to the bed, "Heya, kiddo! Jack Fenton, at your service. We gonna kick this whole melting into ecto-goo thing in the bud, so don't you worry!" He had been animated the during the whole introduction, his arms punching the air like a boxers as he explained how he would battle Dani's problem. The girl couldn't help but giggle at the man's antics. Sure, he was goofy, but he seemed like a nice guy; not at all how Vlad had always described him. Then again, Vlad had a tendency to lie and skew things, so that wasn't a surprise. 

"Is Danny here?" she asked hopefully. She wanted to thank him at least once for rescuing her yet again.

"Right here, cous," the halfa called from the doorway. He was followed by Raven, who stayed close by. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better," she replied. "It doesn't hurt as much anymore."

"You can thank Rae for that," Danny said, pointing towards his girlfriend. Raven nodded in response, though anyone who noticed would note the small blush that appeared on her cheeks.

"Thank you, Danny," the girl said, conveying her gratitude, "For everything."

"Anything for family," he replied simply, meaning every word.

"That's right! You're practically a Fenton and us Fentons stick together like glue!" Jack added with a broad smile on his face. She found the smile contagious and couldn't help but smile back. 

"Now everyone shoo: it's getting too crowded in here and Danielle needs her rest." Maddie waved her hand as she ushered them out of the medical area. She then turned to Danielle, "I'm going to be getting a scanner from our workshop, dear. Just try and relax while I'm gone, ok? It won't take long." Dani watched as the jumpsuit-clad woman exited the room. She sighed as she realized that she was alone. She wondered how long for it to take before she would go completely bonkers: she never did like sitting in one place at once, especially with nothing really to do. 

As she felt the onset of cabin fever come over her, she heard the sound of feint mewing coming from the foot of her bed. Searching for the source, she found a small cat eyeing her. The most unusual feature about the furry creature was the fact that it was green in color, from head to tail; even its large eyes were emerald, as it observed her carefully. "Here, kitty," she called. The cat complied, making its way up the bed before quietly taking a seat on her lap. She rubbed the spot in between its ears as it purred in response. They both sat their contently, both their quest for attention satisfied.

The doors of the room once again swooshed open. Instead of Maddie, however, was the metallic titan known as Cyborg. He was busy looking at the panel on his arm, not noticing that he had company until a few moments after, "Well hello there, little lady!" he greeted. Dani could have sworn she felt the cat tense at the sound of the voice. "I'm Cyborg. Pleased to meet you…"

"Dani," she filled in, "With an 'i'."

"How do you like here at Titans Tower?" he asked, hoping to strike a conversation.

"Haven't seen much of it, considering I've been stuck in here," she replied, "But this little guy has been keeping me company."

"Little guy?' he asked before finally noticing the cat in her lap. The cat tensed again, its stare locking with Cyborg's.

"He's real nice. Is he your cat?" she asked innocently. Cyborg fought hard to keep his face straight as a laugh threatened to erupt from his lips. 

"Uh, that isn't a cat," he said pointing at the cat, who was now shaking its head in protest, "Isn't that right Beast Boy?"

"Beast Boy?" Dani inquired. Her feline companion promptly jumped from the edge of the bed onto the ground, transforming while doing so until a sheepishly smiling Beast Boy appeared.

"Hi?" he greeted meekly, unsure of the girl's reaction. She stared in shock as she looked at her lap and then back at the green changeling where he stood. Cyborg, unable to contain his amusement, began to laugh hysterically, pointing a finger as he did so. Surprisingly enough, Dani joined in, giggling along with him. Beast boy simply stood there, confusion painted all over his face.

VGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVG

"Valerie?" Damon Grey called out as he exited his bedroom of his somewhat small, cramped apartment. "Val? Where are you?"

"Where else?" she replied from the confines of her room, "In here, Dad." He walked up to her bedroom door and opened it, revealing his daughter, who was currently doing a few reps of push-ups. "You do realize that you don't have to go shouting like that to look for me, Dad."

"Can never be too sure, especially with what happened," he replied as she did her final sit-up and got up from the floor. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she wiped the sweat off her forehead with a waiting towel. 

"Dad, what happened before was a fluke," she countered. "Just because I got kidnapped by ghosts once doesn't mean it's going to happen every other week."

"Are you sure it was just a fluke? It could have easily been something related to your other job…"

"Dad, you know I haven't hunted ghosts in months. Heck, you were practically jumping for joy when I told you. Why would they attack me now?" Which was in a sense correct: She wasn't captured because of her ghost hunting per se.

"I don't think time is an issue for ghosts, all things considered," Damon countered. "This is why I never wanted you running around stirring up trouble in the first plave. It was only a matter of time for one of them to get angry enough to strike back."

"Dad, I'm telling you; I was at the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all. It has nothing to do with my old hobbies. I'm safe and sound now, so you don't have to worry yourself silly about it."

"You know I can't help it, Valerie," he replied, rubbing the bridge of his brow, "It's my job to watch out for you, honey. Ever since your mother passed away, you're all I have left."

"I know, Daddy. And that's why I started ghost hunting in the first place: I wanted to protect you. At least, that's why I thought I started doing it. I mean, looking back on it now, I was just so… angry. I was angry about the accident at your job, angry at the fact we pretty much lost everything and had to move in this dump. I guess I used ghost hunting as a way to let off some steam and aggression, but even then I was just so mad, especially when it came to Phantom."

"You didn't go shooting at him when he saved you, did you?" her father asked. 

"Actually, I didn't even get a chance to see him," she admitted, "He and the Titans held the ghosts off while the Fentons saved me and Sam. I'm not even sure what I would have done if I had met him. I mean, I thought it was his fault that you lost your job and everything. I hated him for so long, but what if I was wrong?"

"I think a lot of us were wrong about him. He seems to be doing a lot of good."

"I don't know what to think," she said exasperatedly. "Yeah, he's done good, but he's done some bad, too."

"From what I've seen, so have you," Damon pointed out. Valerie pursed her lips, not responding, "All I'm saying is that he may be a ghost but something tells me he's not all that different from us. I mean, he looks to be about your age, actually. Teenagers make mistakes all the time. I don't think Phantom is any different. The important thing is that he seems to be actually trying to do what's right and tries to fix the mistakes he's done. Haven't you told me that he's tried to apologize to you?"

"Plenty of times, whenever I've given him the chance," Her hands tightened into fists as they lay on her lap, "I always thought it was his way of keeping me off balance or something."

"Maybe he meant what he said. Maybe he really is sorry for what happened way back when."

"Maybe," she agreed. "It's not like I'll know, anyway. I'm out of the business, remember?" She, of course, thought otherwise. It was true she was out of the job at the moment, but she now knew where Phantom lived. Once he got back, she was going to settle things once and for all.

"You never did tell me why you quit," he asked, "Not that I'm complaining or anything. I'm just curious."

"I…" the question had caught her off guard as she struggled to find a way to answer. "Phantom's just better than me, that's all," she replied flatly, "I was just a loose cannon and I was in way over my head." Damon didn't say anything at first, eyeing his daughter as she explained. He hesitated to say anything; he had a very good hunch that she was lying through her teeth, or at least not telling him the whole truth in the matter. He knew his daughter too well and he knew she would never give something up that she was so passionate for; at least, not without good reason. 

"Alright," he stated simply, feigning acceptance of her answer. "You have work soon, don't you?"

"Fortunately, "she replied, "Luckily, I still have a job, after not showing up that day. Ah, the advantages of living in a city with frequent ghost attacks."

"Wish I could use that excuse," he quipped as he leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Remember what we talked about…"

"Head straight to work and then head straight home. Yes, I know Dad. I still don't think you need to worry. I'm fine. I can take care of myself, you know."

"Just humor me, will you? I almost lost you. I don't want to take any chances, at least for now."

"Alright," Valerie relented, "Did you want me to bring in something from work?"

"Actually, I'll probably be coming home late again."

"That big project you can't mention at risk of being shot?" she deadpanned.

"Yes, that one. Save some food for me when you get home."

"Sure thing, dad," she replied as she grabbed a towel and made her way to the bathroom.

JCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJC

"This is only going to sting a little bit, honey," Maddie Fenton stated as she pulled out a needle. Danny's eyes widened somewhat as he fidgeted in his seat.

"Does it have to be that big?" he asked nervously. Jazz couldn't help but giggle.

"You fight the likes of Skulker and Ghost King and you're afraid of a little needle?"

"Hey! Excuse me for being apprehensive about getting stabbed with pointy objects," Danny countered. "I have a right to be, considering I got impaled not once but three times in the past few weeks."

"Quit being such a baby, Danny," his sister continued to tease. He looked to Raven for support, only to find that she, too, was enjoying his display of discomfort.

"The longer you complain, the longer it takes for me to do it, Danny," his mother said calmly as she readied the needle, only to have the point, as well has the hand that was holding her son's arm, phase through. "Danny…"

"Sorry," he apologized, "Reflex."

"Oh, by Azar…" Raven muttered under her breath as she placed a hand on Danny's shoulder. The halfa suddenly felt a jolt go through his body.

"Hey! What did you …ow!" The cry of pain was the result of the successful puncturing of his skin, as his mother proceeded the draw some blood. Pulling the needle out, she smiled as she examined the vile. "What did you do to me?" Danny asked his girlfriend as she began smirking once again.

"Just prevented you from turning intangible," she answered matter of factly. 

"And tell me why you didn't do anything about the pain?"He complained as he rubbed his arm. "And now I remember why Tucker hates hospitals"

"It's for a good cause, Danny," his mother explained, "I should be able to tell what is wrong with Danielle's make up by examining yours. Once I figure out that, we should be able to find a way to stabilize her."

"That's good to hear," Danny said grimly, at the mention of his cousin. 

"The only problem I can see is in terms of equipment," she continued, "What we brought from home is good for a preliminary analysis, but we don't have enough to work with here. Our best equipment is still in the lab. In order to make this work, we may have to move Danielle with us back to Amity Park"

"We're leaving so soon?" Jazz asked. "Won't moving her be a problem?"

"I won't know for sure until I verify the data. I do think she is stable enough and luckily we have the Fenton Speeder here. It'll take us back home in a few hours tops."

"Whatever it takes to get her well," Danny stated with conviction, "I'd fly her home myself if I knew she'd get there fast enough."

"Hopefully it won't come to that," Maddie stated. "Thankfully we still have a little time." She placed the blood samples in the medical bay's centrifugal machine. Giggling could be heard from across the room as Beast Boy took upon himself to entertain their latest guest. Maddie smiled as she herself stole a glance at the girl, her motherly heart being tugged by its strings. 

"We'll let you get to work, Mom." The halfa smiled as he stood up. "I'll be on the roof if you need me." Danny transformed, a sight Maddie still wasn't used to, and floated up to the ceiling, turning intangible as he did so. Raven used her magic to follow, leaving Jazz and Maddie.

"Are you going to be ok, Mom?" Jazz asked thoughtfully. "I know you have a lot of work ahead of you."

"This is new territory for your father and I. Who would have imagined that a ghost human hybrid was even possible, let alone we had one living under our room for the past two years. There's so much we don't know yet about Danny; so much we have to learn in such a short amount of time to save Danielle. It's a daunting task."

"Never seemed to stop you guys before," Jazz commented. 

"That's true," Maddie agreed, "The whole reason that we became ghost hunters was the challenge of it all; to take what was considered fairy tales and turn it into science fact. The challenge of doing this alone is reason enough to push forward and yet…" she looked back to the bed, where Danielle was once again laughing as an emerald monkey was doing acrobatics onto the bed. "I've just met her and yet she feels like family; like another daughter. If we fail, it'll feel just like if we lost you or Danny."

"A lot on your plate. Just remember that Danny, Dad and I are here to help you out." Jazz gave her mother a hug before heading out the door, "Just don't work yourself to death, ok Mom?"

"Not sure that I have a choice, but I'll try," Maddie replied with a meek smile. She watched her daughter go and then turned back to the task at hand. Daunting was an understatement. Was she even able to understand this flood of data she was more than likely to find? Her only advantage was the head start she had from studying Danny for the past two or so weeks. The only thing she really had to go on is what Danny described Vlad wanted before: something about his transformation that was the key to making Danielle stable.

Vlad. That name flooded her mind in a torrent of emotion every time she heard it. She couldn't even fathom what was going through that man's mind. She knew of his crush on her; his not so subtle advances were proof of that, but she never knew he would take it so far. To attack and antagonize a fourteen year old boy who had a hard time as it was dealing with both puberty and strange powers. To threaten to kill her husband. To break every ethical code in the scientific community to create Danielle, only to just throw her away like yesterday's garbage. The gross abuse of power was sickening.

Was merely jealousy and revenge the reason that Vlad seemed to go down this dark path, or was it something more? He seemed nice enough back at their college days before his accident. If only she and Jack knew what had truly happened to him, the powers and all, there might have been a chance of preventing his downward spiral. Or was it just in his nature and this was inevitable? How much of it was revenge and how much of it was the ghostly influence? 

She also thought about Danny and his powers. Was he destined for the same fate? Were his powers going to eventually corrupt him, turning him into something similar to what Vlad was today? She thought back to that day where Danny had fought that mechanized ghost in front of the Tower. He seemed almost mad with rage as he ruthlessly attacked the ghost till it begged for mercy. She remembered how scared she was for her life. Was her boy on walking the same path that Vlad seemed to embrace?

No, that couldn't be it. Danny would never be like that. Whereas Vlad saw no qualms in reveling in the dark side, Danny was trying his best to resist it. He was a good kid and she knew he had potential to be 

something great, something bigger than even she and Jack were. All he and Danielle needed was a little guidance. It looked to be an overwhelming task, but she was glad that she and Jack weren't alone: not only did they have friends but Danny had the Titans. Despite their ages, they were good people and they had experience with dealing with special abilities. She knew that they would be able to steer both her son and their new guest down the right path.

"Maddie?" Jack called out as he waved a hand in front of his wife's face, "Mads, you ok?" She blinked herself back into reality as Jack held up a piece of equipment. "I have that hi-res spectral scanner you wanted."

"Thank you, Jack," she said as she wiped away all doubt from her mind. She was going to figure this out; a life depended on it. Now wasn't the time to get lost in the past or what ifs. What mattered was now. "Can you get a few scans from Danielle while I work on these blood samples?"

"Sure thing, honey!" Jack replied enthusiastically, kissing her on the forehead before making his way to the bed. Taking a deep breath, she delved into the endless sea of data.

* * *

**AN: Some of you were confused about where this story fit in the whole Danny Phantom Phandom; more specifically, about Danielle and the season three episode "D-Stabilized". Let me clarify: when I originally started "Haunted Destiny" in summer of 2006, season three had not aired yet. There were rumors and we had seen episode titles but other than that, nothing. So I wrote my story completely ignoring season three; well, that isn't completely correct. I did borrow the ice powers thing; in fact, that's one of the many reasons the Pyres were originally fire-based baddies. **

**The "Haunted Destiny" universe will borrow stuff here and there from the last season, but ultimately season three never happened. That means no "D-Stabilized", no "Phantom Planet", no "Eye for an Eye", etc. To tell you the truth, I didn't like season three all that much. It was way too rushed. You could tell the writers thought they had at least another season to work with. There are a few ideas that stand out, which I may borrow here and there.**

**This current arc of chapters is actually my version of D-stabilized, if you guys haven't guessed already. This time, however, things will end up a bit different. How, you may ask? You'll just have to keep on reading to find out.**


	5. Chapter 4: Road Trip

**Author's Notes: Hello, everybody? How goes it? Any who, I have some bad news. I've burnt through a bit of my buffer, so next chapter might be a week late or so. I'll get it tout as soon as possible and it will come out, so don't you worry.**

**Any who, this chapter was one of my faves to write, mainly because I love dream sequences. So much fun. It basically took a life of its own as I typed it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I wrote it.**

* * *

Lost and Found Chapter 4: Road Trip

"Daddy?"

Her voice echoed out in the darkness, reverberating into the colorless ether that greeted her senses. She didn't know where she was or how she got there. She didn't even know how long it was like this, though it seemed like an eternity. All she could think about was her father. She had been so excited about finally meeting him. All of her work was going to pay off. No longer would she be alone. No longer would she be misunderstood. No longer would she be rejected.

"Daddy?" she called again, louder this time. It felt like she had been doing this forever. Where was he? Why wasn't he coming to see her? Everyone had left her. She couldn't go back to that place and the only other person she knew had disappeared without a trace. All she had left was him. So why wasn't he here? Didn't he hear her calling out to him? Didn't he know that she needed him? And why was it so dark, so lonely? Why wasn't he here yet?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a cackle that seemed to pierce the expanse. Her eyes darted, searching for the source. Was that him? Had he finally come? The laughing continued, louder this time, and yet she couldn't quite pinpoint where it was coming from. "Where are you?" she called in frustration. Her answer was simply more laughter, as it seemed to come at her from all directions, mocking her weakness.

Finally, she could see something within the dark horizon. A figure stood a good distance away from her, its back turned. "Daddy?" she cried out again, but the figure made no movement as it just stood there, as if frozen in place. She made a dash, running as fast as she could. No matter how much effort she put into it, however, her feet seemed to move like molasses, each step taking hours rather than seconds. She finally managed to reach the unmoving form, reaching out a hand as she became close.

"Father? It's me!" she called out as she touched their shoulder. She retracted her hand quickly with a sharp hiss from her lips. The figure was hot to the touch, as scorching as the fires of hell itself. Suddenly it moved, as if they finally noticed her presence. They slowly turned and what she saw caused her to gasp. 

That…thing… she wasn't even sure if it was human. His face was pitch black, almost rock like in appearance. Like a rock, it was covered in cracks and grooves, from which an eerie orange glow shone from underneath what would be considered its skin. The pupil of its eyes glowed menacingly as it stared at her with unknown intent. She screamed as she tried to step back, but she found herself frozen in place.

The cackling began again, emanating from the creature before her. Its body shook as the laughter continued, causing the girl to shiver in fear. The face was frightening but at the same time it felt familiar, which served to alarm her even more. The scene became even more chilling as the head burst into flames, the glow illuminating the immediate area. The thing paid no heed to its now ignited head, however, as it simply continued to chortle at nothing in particular. It was wild in erratic, like whatever sanity it might have owned had gone long ago; that it, if it had any to begin with.

Just as quickly as it began, the malevolent laughter ceased, showering the void once again in silence. The creature observed her, never wavering, never even batting an eye as it did so. Their eyes locked as they were caught up in staring contest, though for the girl, it was not of her own volition. If she could turn away from that vicious gaze, she would have already. Those eyes…they seemed to bore holes through her very soul. They gazed at her so intently, studying her very being, as if it were searching for something. She wished desperately for release, but she never found it.

Suddenly, a cracking sound could be heard. It was small and unnoticeable at first, but quickly grew in intensity. The girls wide eyes became even wider as she saw the cracks that covered the fire being's face grow and multiply. As if his face was suffering a major earthquake, the fractures spidered their way across the landscape of his face. Soon piece by piece, his visage began to fall apart, slowly revealing what lay underneath. She didn't think she could take any more of this. She gasped as the last piece fell, revealing…

…Herself. Staring back at her was… her, except it wasn't her. It was unmistakable that the face was her own, but there were very noticeable differences. The skin was deathly pale, contrasted by the shimmering yellow eyes that were not her own. Fiery red hair sat on the head of this copy as it burned, literally and brightly. And the smile: it wouldn't stop smiling. The smile had an air of playfulness to it and yet seethed of malicious intent. It began to laugh again, this time in a very feminine giggle, though it was low and wreaked of venom. It held out its hand and as it did so, smoke appeared, taking the shape of a staff. As it gripped the smokey construct, it solidified. A flash of fire erupted from the top end, it too taking on a tangible form: that of a blade. The newly fashioned scythe was pulled back as it was made very clear what its intended target was. The face of the creature twisted into a wicked grin as it swung at the unsuspecting girl…

A blood curdling shriek exploded from her lips as the girl abruptly sat up from where she lay. The screaming lasted for a few moments until her lungs finally ran out of air. She gasped sharply, followed by heavy panting. She tried to calm herself down, but her heart to beat at a rapid pace, showing no signs of stopping. After a number of minutes she finally settled down somewhat, though it didn't last that long. She soon came to realize that her surroundings were completely foreign to her. Panic gripped her chest once again as she tried to remember where she was last.

"What? Where…" she sputtered as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings. She was in a dimly lit room, sparse of much furniture. What was there consisted of a desk with a few unknown pieces of electronic equipment, the bed which she was currently residing on, and the nightstand next to it. On the nightstand she found her glasses, which she quickly retrieved.

"There is no need to be afraid, little one," a voice said from the other side of the room. The girl quickly turned her head to the source. Standing in the doorway of the room was a woman in a white lab coat. The first thing she noticed was that she was beautiful. Her blonde hair was neatly tamed and tied into a neat bun, with only a few strands of hair dropping down in front of her face. Her cool, calculating blue eyes regarded the girl from behind oval shaped glasses, which were perched on the bridge of the woman's nose.. An air of professionalism mixed with a strong sense of confidence seemed to surround her as she made her way to the bed.

"I…where am I?" the girl asked meekly, still unsure of what was going on.

"You're safe," the woman replied, annoyingly deflecting her question. Her eyes examined the girl carefully and critically as her specimen looked back in bewilderment. The girl gave a sharp gasp as the woman proceeded to grasp the girl's cheeks between her fingers. She turned the girls face to the side as she studied her profile. "Such beautiful bone structure," she commented with an accent that the girl could not easily recognize, "And such lovely skin."

"I thought we warned you about handling the patients like that," another voice said, interrupting her inspection. "She's off limits, Inessa."

"Only for the moment," Inessa replied as she let go and turned to the man now leaning on the wall. "It's only a matter of time before he lets me have a really good look at her."

"Not as long as I'm around," he countered, "She's my responsibility. You're only here to make sure she gets better."

"And that she has, thanks to me." She made her way to the doorway, passing him as she went, "I'll leave you two be." She left the room without another word.

"I'm sorry about her. That one has a few screws loose, if you know what I mean." He made his way over to the bed stopping at the side of it. The girl simply stared, her mouth nearly gaping. "What's the matter, love? Cat got your tongue?"

"J-Jules?" she managed to utter in response. This triggered a smile from him.

"So you do remember me," Jules replied. "I wasn't sure you were going to…oof!" his words were interrupted as the girl latched firmly onto him, her body shaking as she bawled into his chest. "There, there, Lara. Jules is here."

"I thought…I thought…I waited for so long…" she cried, her voice muffled. She pulled her head back, her face a mix of sorrow relief and some anger. "I waited for almost a year! I thought you abandoned me! I thought you were dead!"

"I'm sorry, love," he replied in a serious tone, "I shouldn't have done that to you. But Jules is here now, so don't you worry now." He placed a hand atop her head, in an effort to provide comfort. "I'll protect you for now on, love."

"Jules, what happened? Why am I here?"

"Don't you remember?" He watched her face as she struggled to recall.

"I…I'm not sure," she said she focused. "I-I was in the apartment and then…" A flash of pain hit her suddenly as she saw that face of flame in her mind again. She shook her head as the memory faded away. "Jules, I think I did something terribly wrong."

"What is it? You know you can tell li'l ol' me."

"I tried to bring back Father; from Acheron Prime," she confessed, looking away in shame. "I know it was dangerous but you were gone for months and I was so lonely and…I just wanted to see him, if only for one time." He watched as she rambled on, her voice full of guilt and remorse.

"And what about afterwards? Do you remember what happened after that?"

"I don't remember. Something did come out… but I'm not sure what. The next thing I remember was being here." She suddenly winced as a spark of pain shot up her body.

"Take it easy there, love. You still need to heal."

"From what?" she demanded. "Why am I bandaged up? Jules, what happened to me?"

"When we found you, you were in rough shape," he explained after a moment of silence. "I didn't know if you'd make it, so I had to go to my friends for help. Inessa was the one who healed you. Hopefully, that's all she did to you."

"Where is here?"

"I can't tell you that, Lara. Not yet. I promise I will soon, but right now, you need your rest." He gave her one of his trademark charming smiles. "You can do that for ol' Julesey, can't you?" She nodded in response. "Good. I'll be close by if you need me. I won't break any promises again." And with that he made his way to the door.

"Jules?" He turned around, a quizzical look on his face. "I'm glad that you're alright; that you didn't…I'm just happy to see you again."

"Same here, love. Same here."

She sat there for a few moments after he left, still trying to piece things together. She was happy that he was alive, but she couldn't help but feel that he left something out. "I'd forgotten how cute he was…" a voice suddenly stated breaking her train of thought. Now alert, she looked around the room to locate the speaker, only to find the room was as vacant as it was after Jules had left.

"Who's there," she called nervously as she waited for a reply. Nothing came, however after minutes of waiting. "I must be hearing things." She mumbled to herself as she felt sleep slowly overtake her.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

"She doesn't remember anything, does she," Inessa queried as Julian exited the room. He frowned.

"Eavesdropping is a bad habit, you know," he retorted. "She did go through something very traumatic, so it's understandable. She doesn't need to remember all that's happened."

"I beg to differ," she replied in a noticeable Russian accent, "She has information that we need; or have you forgotten that Jules?"

"Jullian," he stated flatly.

"Excuse me?"

"The name is Julian. Only my friends can call me Jules."

"And you don't consider me a friend?" she said with mock surprise. "We're going to have to change that, now won't we?" She closed the gap between them, leaning in closely. The lab coat she was wearing opened slightly, showing a partially buttoned blouse she wore underneath. It was opened at the top, revealing an ample amount of her well endowed bosom, as well as a hint of the lacy black bra that she wore. "I can be very friendly," she whispered in a seductive tone.

"I don't think I like your type of friendly," he responded coolly, gently pushing her away. "Besides, I'm not sure that _he_ would approve."

"Oh, I forgot. You much rather prefer little girls than a full grown woman," she shot back with venom, her seductive nature now gone.

"It's nothing like that, not that it's any of your bloody business," he scoffed at her accusation. "Anything's better than a Russian tramp who can't keep her bloody legs shut."

"Oh, you do know how to hurt a woman's feelings," she said, clearly not wounded at all by his accusation. In fact, she looked almost proud. "I, at least, know how to have some fun."

"I highly doubt that," he mocked. "Allow me to further disappoint you: If I see you even look at Valara the wrong way, I won't hesitate to kill you. She isn't one of your specimens."

"Oh, so scary," Inessa replied with a smirk, "A gallant knight protecting his princess, no? Who knew you were so noble." She chuckled to herself, "The problem with your little declaration is that you won't have a choice in the matter. That girl may hold the key to the Phantom boy's secret. It's only a matter of time before Cain gives the order. So, if you want to protect your precious princess, you better get the information we need. Now if you excuse me, I must look after my children." Ending the conversation, the 

blonde-haired woman turned and walked away, but not without putting a certain sway in her step while doing so.

"I will protect you, Valara," he whispered to himself, "Even if I have to die in the process. I will keep my promise…"

JCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJC

The day for the tower went on, though it seemed slower for some than others. As the afternoon sun descended into the skyline, transforming the day into night, two particular Titans watched the feat of nature. Even though his eyes took in the breathless sight, it didn't register in Danny's mind. Instead, his thoughts were of other things, more specifically of his ailing cousin only floors below him. He sat at the edge of the roof with a vacant stare, completely oblivious to the world around him.

Sitting next to him was Raven, who sat patiently next to him. Surprisingly enough, the silence between them didn't bother her. She knew that his mind was in turmoil over the day's events. He just needed time to think things through, though at the same time, she wasn't about to abandon him either. Though she didn't want to interrupt his thoughts with words, she instead held onto his hand, as a gentle reminder to him that she would be there to provide comfort and support.

As she sat alongside him, she spent her time just looking at him. For some strange reason, she found examining his face rather intriguing. As if he were one of the old books that kept her company as a child, her eyes and mind read over him, taking every feature, every crease, every wrinkle and committed it to her memory. She watched as his face shifted ever so slightly with the ever changing emotions that coursed through his heart. She noticed the furrow of his brow whenever he felt frustration or anger. She saw the compassion in his eyes whenever he thought of the people he cared about. His hands tightened whenever his mind's attention turned to what Raven suspected was Vlad. They spent the whole time like this; while he thought, she waited.

Eventually, Raven knew that Danny would eventually need to come out of his shell. Dusk was now completely upon them both as night now overtook the day. Danny was still in deep thought and despite the fact that he was probably hungry by now; there were no signs of him moving an inch. Deciding to take matters into her hands, she gave his hand a harder squeezing, hoping to catch his attention. When it was clear that it wasn't the case, she chose to take some more proactive measures.

"Danny?" she asked meekly. Her voice broke his blank gaze, causing reality to suddenly flood his senses. He blinked a few times before turning to her in confusion. His face changed into a remorseful expression once he realized she was there.

"Did I…?" he didn't complete the sentence, as the answer was fairly evident. "I'm sorry, Raven. I shouldn't have spaced out like that."

"It's understandable," she replied with a faint smile, "You have a lot of your mind."

"That's the understatement of the century."

"Did you want to talk about it?" she ventured, hoping he'd respond. The last thing anyone needed was Danny going back to his reclusive ways.

"I'm just worried, about a lot of things. The most obvious reason being Dani's well being. There's also the whole issue with Vlad."

"Do you think he had something to do with the ghost that attacked her?"

"No doubt on that," Danny confirmed, "That definitely looked like one of Vlad's freaky ghost experiments. His whole 'cloning me' thing wasn't his first outing in ghost genetics. More than likely he sent that thing over to try and capture her; or so it seems."

Raven gave him a perplexed look. "You don't think that's what he was really after?"

"Oh, he was after her alright. If he could figure out why she lasted longer than the others, he could probably have his own perfect son in no time flat." He made a face at the thought. "The thing that bothers me is that how he went after her. He waited till she was in the city to strike, almost as if he wanted me to save her." He paused for a moment, the gears of his mind still spinning over the fact that he was somehow missing something.

"Maybe he did," Raven observed, "Maybe he wanted you to find her." Danny's reply was a blank stare. "Think about; you said it yourself that if anyone could cure Danielle, it would be your parents. Maybe Vlad was banking on that."

"I don't know," he said doubtfully, "I mean, it would fit his MO; he's all about getting people to do his dirty work for him. It doesn't make sense, though. He has this whole thing about not letting Mom know about his ghost half. He ought to know the only I could explain where and how Dani came to be would be to tell them about him."

"Maybe he felt like he didn't have a choice," she suggested, "He wasn't going to get the samples he needed from you willingly. You would, on the other hand, have no problems with giving them to your mom."

"This means that the moment we do find a cure for Dani, he'll be finding the right moment to go in and grab her." He looked down, a flash of anger crossing his face. "Damn, I hate it when he does this. He always finds a way to taint your choices, even when you try and do the right thing."

"You'll just have to be ready for him," Raven stated matter of factly. "You've beaten him before. Plus, you're not alone anymore. You have your parents and your friends…"

"And you." He gave her a smile.

"That's a given," she replied. They both leaned over until their lips met, melding into each other. It was a warm tender kiss, not unlike their first, except this one was different. It was like Danny could feel her concern, her compassion transfer from her lips to his. His hand reached over and cupped her face, stroking her cheek gently, eliciting a soft moan from the empathy. Their show of affection was unfortunately interrupted as Danny's communicator started to beep incessantly. They both groaned as they separated.

"This better be good," Danny muttered before activating the device. Cyborg's face appeared on the view screen.

"Hey, big D," the metallic Titan greeted, "Mrs. F wants you in the medical bay pronto. Said it's something important."

"Thanks, Cy. We'll be down in a minute." He turned to his girlfriend, "Lets hope its good news." She nodded in agreement as they made their way below.

JCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJCJC

"I think I've figured out what the problem is," Maddie stated as she saw her son enter the room. She, along with Cyborg and Jazz, were gathered around one of the monitors. Maddie tapped a few keys on the side of the screen, revealing two sets of what Danny recognized as spectral analyses. She pointed to the top diagram, "This is your ecto-signature, Danny. And the other one is Danielle's. As you can see, while yours is fairly stable, hers, on the other hand, is in a constant state of flux. This is where her instability comes from. Her signature is actually similar to that of a ghost who hasn't taken a form yet. Unless we can give her a stable signature, she'll eventually break down."

"So the problem is in her ghost form? Can't we just separate it from her human side?" Danny asked, albeit warily.

"I don't think that will work," she said disappointedly, "The problem is her ghost side, but it's essentially taking her human side along for the ride. Her human side has already taken damage. She may not survive a separation attempt."

"So what are our options?"

"We basically have to re-imprint a stable ghost signature onto hers; mainly yours. I'm still not entirely sure how we'll do it, however. Knowing what the problem is and solving it are two different things. I do know is that we'll need to go back to Amity Park to ultimately find a solution; and the sooner, the better. Jack is already packing the RV and the Specter Speeder. A group of us will take Danielle on the Speeder, while the rest will take RV. Danny, I'm going to need you to go help your father prep the vehicles." Danny didn't respond, instead turning to Raven nervously. The implications of his family leaving had obviously hit him.

"Just go," Raven said evenly, not showing a hint of emotion. "Your family needs you. We'll talk later." Nodding, Danny exited the room, but not before throwing another look at his girlfriend. The moment he left, Raven sighed sadly. She knew that this was coming, but she didn't realize it would be so soon. "I'm going to check on Danielle," she said out loud, hoping to take her mind of the odd feeling at the pit of her stomach. She made her way to the girl, who seemed to be asleep; seemed being the operative word. "I know you're awake." Raven stated. An eye popped open as the young girl peered out at her. She smiled.

"Hi," the younger girl greeted. Raven was surprised at how upbeat the girl was, considering her situation. Maybe Beast Boy had his uses after all. "You're Raven, right?"

"Yeah, that's me," Raven replied as she waved a glowing hand over the girl.

"You're the one who saved me, right?" She looked at Raven with large eyes.

"Danny was the one who saved you."

"But you were the one who healed me. I was going to… melt if it wasn't for you." Raven simply nodded in response. "Thank you." The sincerity in her voice was deafening. "I'm glad I came after all. I thought that if I could just make it and see Danny one last time that it'd be worth it, even if he couldn't do anything for me. If they don't… if I melt away, at least I'm glad to have met Danny again. And you, too."

"They'll find a way to get you better, Danielle," Raven spoke. Her hand extinguished as she finished her examination. "You're not done yet. The Fentons aren't about to give up, so you shouldn't either, Danielle."

"It's Dani," she corrected, "With an 'i'."

"I'll remember that." Raven gave the girl a small comforting smile.

"Are you coming with us? Back to Amity Park?"

"I'm… not sure yet," Raven confessed, "I'm not sure if I can just go and leave the others. I have responsibilities here."

"That's too bad. I think Danny would be real disappointed. He likes you, ya know."

"I know. I like him too," she said with a blush.

"Then you should come with us. Danny would miss you if you didn't."

"We'll see."

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Raven sighed as she reached her destination. The door was closed and locked, as the panel on the side indicated. To say she was nervous was an understatement. She hadn't felt this antsy since when she realized she liked Danny. She hesitated as her eyes stared at door intently. Should she go in? Should she go on and get it done already or should she wait. She hated when she got like this. The epic battle that was most likely being waged in her mind continued to be waged with no clear victor in sight.

"I don't think I asked for a trench in front of my room," Robin quipped as she turned to him in surprise. An embarrassed blush spread across her cheeks as she fought to regain her composure.

"Robin, we need to talk," she managed to say, albeit rather silently. He nodded as he moved out of the way, allowing her to enter. She had only had been inside his room a handful of times, but she immediately recognized the Spartan layout. There was no flourish, no real decoration. Everything was nice and neat 

and bare. Raven speculated that his was room was this way only because he spent more time in the evidence room than he did here.

"You wanted to talk about something?" he asked, breaking her out of her reverie. She nodded in reply.

"Robin, I need to ask you a favor." This drew a raised eyebrow from Robin, who remained silent. "I've never asked you for anything while I've been a Titan. I've worked my butt off since I've joined. I've put up with the infantile arguments, Star's cooking, the noise and Beast Boy and I've never once asked for anything in return. So it's safe to assume that you owe me, big time."

"What exactly are you asking?"

"I need some time off." Robin took this in before reacting.

"How long?"

"I'm not sure. It's not permanent; I'm not leaving the team or anything. I just need to… I need to be with Danny. I know it sounds silly coming from me but…"

"No." The answer came swiftly, without warning. Raven just stood there and stared back at the boy wonder, who didn't let a bit of emotion show.

"Just like that? I haven't even explained it to you yet…"

"No," he repeated calmly. "I can't afford to have you off the roster right now."

"To hell you can't," she retorted, he temper rising. "You four can handle it without me. Even if you can't, we have what, fifty Titans now? You don't need me."

"Actually, yes we do," he retorted calmly. "I actually have a mission for you. A very important mission."

"And what mission is so important that I'm the only one that can do it?"

"One of our new team members is going to need someone who can show him the ropes. He might also need some backup, among other things. There isn't anyone who can do this job but you." Raven paused, her mind slowly wrapping around his words and her previously angry expression now gone. "What do you 

think? Care to take the job?" Her answer was immediate: in the blink of an eye, her arms were around his neck, giving him a hug of relief. "I thought so…ouch!" His rubbed his now sore shoulder.

"Real cute. You could have just told me you were going to send me with him," she growled.

"You're welcome," Robin replied with a grin.

"But why?"

"Because I wanted to see the look on your face when you…"

"Not that," she interrupted, "Why are you letting me leave?"

"Mrs. Fenton asked for you. She said that in case of any complications, you're healing abilities would help keep Danielle stable long enough to get them home. That and like you said: you've earned it. Crime has been slow, the ghosts notwithstanding. If something does happen, we'll have it covered. Either that or we'll call. We won't be that far away." She eyed him carefully, not sure if that was the whole truth or not.

"You do know that payback is a bitch," she stated flatly. "You better be on your toes when I get back, because I'm going to strike when you least expect it."

"I'd love to see you try."

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

"So I guess this is it," Danny said with a sigh. He was currently leaning onto the Fenton RV at the underground garage, his impending departure weighing heavily on his mind.

Raven stood next to him, her face undecipherable, "Yeah, it is."

"You know I'd stay if I could. It's just that with this thing with Dani…"

"I know, Danny. You don't have to explain anything. I understand."

"We can make this work, can't we? His face showed signs of doubt as he spoke nervously, "I mean, the whole being apart thing isn't going to be a problem, is it?"

"I'm sure we can make something work," she answered cryptically. Just as Danny was about to continue, the door of the elevator opened, revealing Jack, Maddie and Jazz, pushing along a stretcher containing Danielle.

"Alright, here is how we are going to do things, people," Maddie barked, taking charge of the situation. "Jack, I need you to take Danny and Jazz with you on the Fenton RV while I…"

"Mom, I wanted to go with Danielle," Danny interrupted. "I'll be the best chance you have in case Vlad happens to show up or something."

"Although I appreciate the sentiment, sweetie, the answer is no. I need you to be with your father and sister."

"But mom, you can't just go by yourself!" the halfa argued. "We'd be giving you to Vlad on a silver platter."

"I won't be alone, Danny. Raven is coming with me."

"She is?" His face was dumbfounded as he turned to Raven, who simply grinned.

"Told you we'd work something out." Danny soon mirrored her grin as he wrapped his arms around her, bending down slightly to kiss her. She raised herself and closed her eyes, receiving his kiss wholeheartedly. Even though they would see each other again soon, it was still a goodbye kiss of sorts. The time apart would be unbearable to both of them. Their lips, as well as their bodies separated, though their hands clasped together tightly. The couple's eyes locked intensely, as unspoken words were uttered between them.

"Keep an eye on them," Danny said, breaking the silence, "I'm counting on you." She nodded in response.

"You worry too much," Raven remarked, "We'll be fine."

"It's my job to worry," he replied. He unconsciously squeezed her hand. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too," she agreed.

"Hope we didn't miss anything!" Cyborg's boisterous voice called from the elevator as the rest of the Titans entered the garage to bid the Fentons and Raven farewell. A bolt of red and purple suddenly slammed into Raven as Starfire held firm to her best friend.

"Friend Raven! I shall be missing you ever so!" The sorceress struggled slightly under the crushing embrace.

"Star…" she gasped. The Tamaranian girl finally took the hint, letting go sheepishly as Raven began gasping for air. Danny fought… and failed, not to chortle. His amusement was cut short as a strong hand grabbed his shoulder, dragging him away.

"Hey!" the ghost boy protested at his mystery abductor. Cyborg hauled the hybrid away from the others, depositing him when they were a good distance away.

"We need to talk," the metallic teen stated, with a somewhat serious look on his face. Danny wasn't necessarily familiar with this side of his fellow Titan: Cyborg was always so laid back.

"About what, exactly?"

"Raven, that's what," he replied with a frown. "Listen, dude: we consider each other family. Star and Raven are like the two sisters I never had. And I take being the older brother very seriously. I like you, dude, but if you break her heart…" Cyborg let the threat unfinished, allowing Danny to get the message.

"You don't have to worry about anything, Cy," Danny reassured nervously. "Nothing's going to happen to Raven, I promise. I don't want her getting hurt anymore than you do." The taller teen eyed Danny carefully, gauging the halfa's sincerity. After a few moments, the stern expression disappeared, replaced by Cyborg's signature grin.

"Well, alright!" he exclaimed, smacking Danny in the back while doing so. "Now that we have that out of the way…" he placed a small box into Danny's hand, confusing the newly inducted Titan even further.

"And this is…"

"It's just a little something to help you two out," he explained, " Raven's birthday was a few days ago."

"Wait, it was?" Danny said in a panicked voice, "When?"

"A day or so before you guys showed up, actually. She probably doesn't expect anything from you, considering she never told you anything, but I think you'd score some major cool points with her if you got her something. Of course, get her something else along with this; she'll know it was from me in a heartbeat; of course, that's the whole idea." Danny's only reply was another puzzled expression. "Just trust me on this. You'll wow her in no time… after the whole curing your cousin thing, that is."

"Thanks, I guess," the raven haired teen said reluctantly. "Your abnormal interest in my love life is… comforting."

"Just looking out for you, bro." Cyborg grinned, patting him on the back once again, nudging him back to the main group. By the time they got back, Raven had managed to pry herself from the nearly hysterical Starfire, who was no crying into Robin's shoulder. Beast Boy had snuck himself close to Dani, wishing her well and good luck.

"Danny, you, Jack and Jazz better get going," Maddie suggest advocated. Danny turned to Raven and gave her one last hug before heading to the Fenton RV. Raven, using her powers, levitated Dani, stretcher and all, into the Specter Speeder. Uttering their last goodbyes, the two vehicles began their trek back home.

* * *

**AN: So, I hoped you liked the chapter.**


	6. Chapter 5: Road Trip Part 2

**Author's Notes: Man, I am late. I'm back again, with another new chapter. Sorry for scaring you folks. I had lost my mojo for a moment there. Like I told you all last chapter, I pretty much wasted the nice buffer of chapters I had built up. When I did go back and tried to write a new chappie, all I could spit out was crap. The beginning of this chapter was rewritten a few times before I got it right.**

**This chapter had some good news, though. I couldn't get my normal betas in time, so I recruited the aid of one of my fave Phanfic writers, Cordria, to beta for me. She aided me a great deal with the ending and some character wonkiness I was having. The result will be pleasing to all, I hope. Thanks a bunch, Cori. You rock, girl!**

**Now, on with the story…**

* * *

Lost and Found Chapter 5: Road Trip Part 2

The silence was unbearable.

Thousands of miles above the Earth, the Fenton Specter Speeder Mark II flew through the atmosphere. The craft soared at maximum speed, no doubt breaking a number of air traffic laws, as it grew closer to its destination. Inside were three female occupants; the young ailing halfa, Danni Phantom, slept soundly in the back compartment, saving her already waning strength. The two remaining passengers occupied the cockpit. Maddie Fenton operated the airborne vehicle, making sure it stayed true to its course. Raven had just come back from checking on their patient, ensuring that her condition remained stable. The sorceress now sat next to Maddie, her eyes closed as she quietly meditated… or so it seemed. A half hour in and neither one had uttered a word to each other, resulting in an uneasy hush hanging in the air.

A current of uneasiness ran inside of Raven's psyche as she contemplated her situation. When she had agreed to escort Danielle, she failed to fully take into account her current situation: the fact that she would be spending a number of hours, alone, with Danny's mother. She knew it was silly: she, in her lifetime, had faced criminals and supernatural beings far more powerful and yet it was her boyfriend's mother that made her nervous. It wasn't as if she was actually afraid of her, per se. One of the main reasons she felt anxiety grip her throat was the fact that she didn't know what the woman felt about her. She and Danny had revealed their relationship that morning. Not only that**, **but before there was any time for a reaction from the Fentons, Danielle had stumbled back into Danny's life, taking the attention away from the couple. With mother and girlfriend now alone, Raven felt a bit restless. Did Maddie approve of her dating her son? Did she even like her in general? Would Raven be able to fit into the Fenton household in the short time she would be staying there? The dark titan had never been one who cared for what others thought of her, and yet here she was, worrying herself into a frenzy.

Even if Maddie approved of her, what would she say if they did strike up a conversation? Raven couldn't think of anything they had in common, other than Danny. She knew Maddie was smart and a force to be reckoned with in battle. She also knew the woman, like the rest of the family, had more than a normal curiosity in ghosts. What little Raven knew of ghost hunting was learned during the battles fought the weeks prior. Other than that, Raven hadn't had a clue of how Maddie Fenton ticked. What if she said something wrong to her? "Get a grip," she whispered silently to herself. She was worrying about nothing. Danny's mother had asked for her to come; that had to mean something. Raven let out a breath she didn't even realize that she was holding until now. She tried to tell herself that worrying about it wasn't going to help, but she could feel uneasiness creep over her. She was going to have to have a long talk with Timid when this was over and done with.

Ironically enough, Maddie Fenton was having similar feeling of anxiety. As she kept a watchful eye on the instruments, her gaze intermittently strayed to the enigmatic teen sitting next to her. Like Raven,Maddie couldn't make heads or tails of the girl. She knew from what she had seen in the past few weeks that she was essentially a good person and a powerful superhero. At the same time, she had an air of mystery about her. She only seemed to open up to her fellow Titans and mostly kept her distance from the Fentons except when it came to Danny. There was something about her that reminded her quite a bit of Danny's friend, Sam; an observation that she suspected would be a bit of a problem.

Maddie, as well as anyone else who spent time near the family, always figured that Danny and Sam would eventually end up together. Everyone could see there was something between the two; something that neither would admit. Even Jack, who unfortunately was oblivious to everything other than ghosts, noticed it. She hoped the fact that Danny was now with someone else wasn't going to hurt their friendship after Danny had worked so hard at regaining it. Maddie tried not to hold anything against Raven; Danny and Sam were never officially together and when it came to love and romance, nothing was for certain. Despite that, she found it quite amazing that Danny and Raven had gotten so close in such a short amount of time. For his benefit, Maddie had to at least get to know the girl; especially she was going to become a guest for an indeterminate length of time.

"So," Maddie said, finally breaking the wall that was the silence separating the two, "How was Danielle? Is she doing ok?" The sudden sound of the ghost hunter's voice, after the lack of any noise surprised the girl, causing her to jump. She turned to the source, using years of practice to hide the look of shock on her face.

"She's fine," the younger of the two replied. "She should be sound asleep now. Her condition hasn't gotten any worse, at least."

"That's good. She's going to need her rest." Maddie sighed discontentedly, "I wish I had the same luxury."

"I could help with that," Raven suggested, "I know of a few blends of tea that could keep you alert." The ghost hunter smiled in reply.

"I may want to take you up on your offer," Maddie said. "Actually Raven, I wanted to thank you for coming. You being here is a great relief." The sudden praise caused a small patch of pink to appear on Raven's cheeks.

"You don't really don't have to thank me for anything, Mrs. Fenton," she replied modestly, "I was happy to help."

"Please, dear, call me Maddie," the older woman corrected, "And I beg to differ. You've been a big help recently. I've been talking to Jazz and she explained to me how much you've helped Danny. He's changed so much thanks to you."

"It was nothing, really," Raven denied, the blush growing even larger, "Doing what we do… it takes a lot out of you. Mentally and emotionally. Sometimes you just need someone to listen; someone who understands what you're going through."

"And I'm glad Danny was able to find someone to confide in." Maddie's face softened as a sad, solemn smile adorned her lips, "You wouldn't believe how long we've been worried about him. He was always so guarded; he tried so hard to keep us out. If we only knew then what we know now, we might have been able to do something more."

"It wasn't your fault. It was Danny's choice to keep his powers a secret from you. You couldn't have known about his powers."

"That's the problem though; we should have known," Maddie's voice now cracked faintly as she spoke, her fists burled up into balls in frustration. "We failed him. All the signs were there: he was always tired, always getting trouble at school. His grades were slipping. We should have done more for him. We were so preoccupied with ghost hunting that we ignored our children. He shouldn't have to face ghosts and danger and Vlad all by himself; no one his age should." Images of her son facing down armies of ghosts flooded the mother's mind before she continued. "If only we had known, if only we had tried harder to reach him…"

"It's useless," Raven interrupted, "Worrying about the past, asking yourself all those 'whatifs', torturing yourself over what you could have done differently; it's all pointless. No matter how much you worry, no matter how hard you try, you can never go back and fix things. The past is immutable; you can't change it. Trying to do so won't accomplish anything."

Raven's voice was matter of fact and harshly void of any emotion. Maddie stared at the girl, her callous words catching the woman's attention. What caught the ghost hunter's attention even more was how swiftly the tone of the girl's voice softened. "Mrs. Fenton… Maddie, you may not have known about Danny back then, but you do know 

now. Things are different. Danny doesn't have to hide anything from you anymore. He'll need your help now more than ever." Raven paused for a moment, "All of you are his anchor, his reason for even doing what he does. He'll need your support and guidance. They both will."

Maddie stayed silent through Raven's whole speech andremained that way for moments after she finished. The Titan'swords rang true through her mind and heart. She could feel her anxiety lessen; she knew it would never truly go away completely. She was a parent after all and parents always worried for their children. It wasn't as overbearing as it was before, however. Raven was right; she couldn't allow her fears hold her back. Both Danny and Danielle needed her and Jack.

"Thank you," she finally managed to say, "I needed that. You're absolutely right; dwelling on the past won't help Danny or Danielle. I'm going to do my best to help both." The older woman smiled brightly. "I think Danny is very lucky to have found someone like you. I can tell that he likes you very much." The color in Raven's face returned as she looked away in embarrassment.

"I-I think I was lucky to find him," she responded meekly, completely contrary to how she was just moments before. "There's something… special about him; something almost noble. It probably sounds silly…"

"Not at all, dear," Maddie differed, "I think he actually gets that from his father. He may not seem it, but Jack can be quite brave and courageous when he wants to be." A glint could be seen in the corner of her eye.

"I don't doubt that," Raven agreed. She had to admit, Mr. Fenton turned out to be quite capable, despite her assessment of him when the Fentons first arrived at the tower.

"So, Raven," Mrs. Fenton began, "How long have you and my son been seeing each other?"

The Titan paused for a moment, wondering how Maddie could so easily keep her off balance. She quickly collected herself before answering. "Not for long. I found out about his secret after the attack on the tower, but we didn't actually get together until after everyone discovered his powers."

Maddie remained quiet for a moment, as if she was pondering something. "Now Raven," she continued after a moment of silence, "I know that Danny is my son, but he's also a teenage boy and I know how… fast they sometimes want to go. I just want to make sure that he isn't making you do anything… inappropriate."

By the time Raven fully realized what the woman was implying, her face had decided on doing a very good impression of a stop sign, its warm crimson glow shining brightly on her flustered face. She quickly looked down, well past being embarrassed. "I –I don't think you need to worry about that," Raven finally managed to squeak. "Danny is actually sort of old fashion when it comes to that. Trust me; I don't think he would do anything like that; not that I would let him."

The mother smiled and nodded in approval. "Good. Jack was sort of the same way. I'm glad to hear Danny is being such a gentleman." Awkward silence began to linger once again between the two; the only sound that could be heard was the various beeps from the flight instruments.

"Maddie?" Raven began, still unaccustomed to calling her by her full name, "I was just wondering; is it …alright that I'm coming with you?"

"What do you mean, dear? Of course it's alright."

"I just mean that…" She hesitated, "I was happy to come and help and spend some time with Danny, but I'm starting to think it's not such a good idea. Danny's going to need to spend time with his friends and I don't want to interfere with that. That and I don't know if I exactly fit into his normal life."

"I don't think you could qualify Danny's life as being normal to begin with," Maddie countered. "I think you're just nervous, that's all. I'm sure things will work out." Despite the sincerity in Maddie's words, Raven's doubts still lingered.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Tucker Foley, techno-geek, was currently hard at work in the Fenton basement/lab. The African-American male had himself surrounded by a myriad of computer equipment and cables. Off to the side, the remains of his dinner, a mega-sized nasty- meal from Nasty Burger, lay crumpled up. The mega-gulp cup full of soft drink still sat beside him as he would regularly take sips from the straw to hydrate himself. Ear buds were firmly jammed into his ear canals, playing loud pop music as he toiled on one of the Fenton's work stations. He was so engrossed by what was on the screen and so isolated by his music that he didn't notice the figure that stomped down the stairs. The unknown assailant reached him unnoticed; that is until it promptly yanked the ear buds off of him, depriving him of his music.

"Hey!" he cried out in protest.

"Damn it, Tucker," an equally irate Sam Manson uttered as she stood there, her hands firmly on her hips, "Do you know how long I was at the front door, ringing the doorbell?"

"Don't you have a key?"

"Yeah, I have a key, but I figured you'd at least answer or something. I didn't even know if you were here until I heard that god-awful singing of yours."

"Hey I'm not that…" His gripes stopped halfway as he suddenly began gawk.

Sam, catching the absence of Tucker's usual blabber, turned to him and noted that he had his gaze fixed on her. "What?" she asked harshly, "What the heck are you looking at?" Her severe tone broke Tucker out of his trance.

"Uh, nothing!" he exclaimed with his hands raised high, "Nothing at all. It's just that… Don't you think you're a tad overdressed?" Tucker pointed to her current attire, as Sam followed the direction of his finger. The goth girl was currently sporting a black and purple colored corset, which hung tightly around the curves she had obtained over the past year. Black, fingerless gloves reached up to her mid-bicep. Her fingernails alternated from black to purple and back again. Her fishnet covered legs sprouted from a black skirt, highlighted with violet lace and ended in boots that were evidently nicer than her standard arm steel toes. The most noticeable aspect of Sam was her face: eye shadow and lipstick, both in her signature amethyst color, were carefully painted upon her eyes and lips respectively. Instead of her usual single small ponytail, instead two adorned her head, one on each side, both with violet streaks.

"What's the matter with the matter with how I look? I dress like this all the time." Sam silently cursed herself. She had a feeling she might have gone overboard with her outfit.

"Uhh, no, you don't. The last time you got this dressed up was for the dance two years ago." A devilish smile appeared on the cyber-geek's lips, "You wouldn't happen to be trying to impress a certain half-ghost male, now would you?"

"What?" she cried, a little too shrilly, "Tucker, you're crazy. So maybe I am a little dressed up; so what? Danny's coming back. I think that warrants a little celebration, don't you?"

"Suure," he replied, totally not convinced. A swift kick in retaliation caused him to cry out. "Hey, watch where you aim those things!"

"That's what you get for making false accusations. See if I do you any favors anymore."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" He got up to stretch his legs, which were more or less stuck in the same position for a number of hours now. "Speaking of favors, did you get that thing I asked you for?"

"Yeah, I got it," she confirmed as she dug into her backpack. After searching for a few moments, she revealed a few shrink-wrapped CD cases, as well as a small box containing a computer card. "Freshly delivered."

"It pays having a rich friend," he commented as he examined her delivery, "Perfect. These will do the job perfectly."

"So how exactly is this 'big job' going, anyway?" she asked curiously as she surveyed the mess of wires and computers.

"Long and tiring," he replied. He stuck the CD into the terminal he was working on and began to type furiously.

"That bad?"

"Worse. Vlad had his claws on every one of the Fenton's computers. Took me forever to weed out all the spyware and plug up all the backdoors in the OS. Who knows how long he's been stealing stuff from the database?"

"Sounds like Vlad," she observed, "Everything he does just screams 'creepy stalker. He needs to get a new hobby or something."

"Can't argue with that," Tucker replied as he continued to work. "Anyway, this firewall software you brought me should prevent him from doing that again, with a few tweaks from yours truly. And the moment he does try any funny business, I'll automatically get notified on my PDA."

"So, in other words, you're the Fentons' new IT guy." she quipped. "How much are they paying you?"

"Sam, I'm shocked!" he mock gasped, "How could you think I'd put a monetary value on aiding a friend? This is on the house. Besides, I can always charge later for maintenance fees."

"Always the entrepreneur. Speaking of the Fentons, any idea when they're coming back?"

"Eager to see Danny?" A withering stare from the goth took the smile off his face. "Anyway, they should be here by…" he glanced at the clock on the wall, "Sometime this morning. Looks like we have a bit more time."

"No problem. I can wait." Sam took a seat on a nearby stool, crossing her legs as she did so. Digging through her bag once again, she pulled out a shiny black MP3 player, along with a pair of headphones. As she did so, Tucker's mind became slightly preoccupied by the recent talk of time.

"Wait a sec… don't you have a curfew after the whole 'getting kidnapped by ghosts' thing?"

"Had a curfew," she corrected, "Luckily, Grandma and I found a way to make my parents annul that."

"You snuck out while everyone was asleep, didn't you?" Tucker surmised, not buying her excuse for a second. "Won't get in trouble with your folks?"

"When am I ever not in trouble with them?" she countered. "Besides, it'll be totally worth it."

"If you say so," he shrugged. Suddenly green lights began to flash, accompanied by a more than evident siren.

"What the heck is that?" Sam cried out in alarm.

"That would be the Specter Speeder coming in for a landing," Tucker clarified, "Looks like we don't have to wait after all." Sam's stomach decided just then to do a triple back flip while her heart was attempting to jump into her throat. She could feel her pulse quicken at the impending arrival of her best friend. Both teens watched as a panel at the far side of the room opened and the Specter Speeder hovered in, slowing to a stop ten feet in. Sam soon found her feet moving on their own as she sped towards the craft as it lowered itself onto the ground. The goth teen waited breathlessly as the side hatch slowly opened.

"Danny?" she called out in a surprisingly meek tone. A figure appeared in the hatchway, though their features unquestionably did not match those of the halfa. Raven stepped into the light of the lab, her face impassive. Behind her, being pulled by her dark powers, was a gurney, currently occupied by Danielle, who was still in a restful slumber.

"Sam," the Titan greeted as she made her way down the ramp. Both Sam and Tucker stared back in surprise, not sure what to say.

Finally, Sam found the power to speak. "Raven? Not that I'm not happy to see you or anything, but what are you doing here? And more importantly, where is Danny?"

"Danny is still on his way, dear," a familiar voice called from the vehicle. They turned to find Danny's mother as she followed Raven, "He's with his father and sister in the RV. They should be arriving later today. Raven is here to make sure Danielle is okay while we try to find a cure for her." She smiled warmly at the two, "It's so good to see you two again."

"Same here, Mrs. Fenton," Tucker replied. I readied some of the equipment you might need over there." He pointed over to a table with various gadgets arranged neatly on top. A computer terminal sat in a corner of the table.

"Well, thank you, Tucker. Raven; can you move Danielle over here?" The sorceress nodded, pulling the bed next to the area where Maddie had instructed. "Tucker, I need you to help me move some things around."

"Sure thing, Mrs. Fenton," he complied. Sam stayed behind, watching as Raven examined Danielle for any instability.

"Uh, Raven?" Sam began, "I wanted to thank you… for keeping your promise, I mean. For making sure Danny didn't die. I really appreciated that." Finishing up her examination, Raven looked up, smirking.

"It was my pleasure," she replied. "I was more than happy to help. I'm also glad you and your friend made it out ok."

"I wouldn't necessarily call Valerie my friend, though," Sam amended. "And technically, I'm sort of grounded, so I didn't get out of it completely unscathed."

"I see," Raven replied, "At least you're fine now. I know that Danny was pretty worried about you."

"Speaking of Danny, I hope he wasn't too much of a spaz while he was over there. I know he can be sort of a handful sometimes."

"He does take some getting used to," Raven agreed, eliciting smiles from both. "He wasn't that must trouble, though. Once you get to know him, he's really a nice guy."

"That he is. Though I sometimes wonder why I put up with his frequent bouts of cluelessness." She paused as her mind wandered to the halfa in question. Even though she complained about it, one of the many things she loved about him was his naiveté. Her mind drifted back into reality, "How long are you going to be staying anyway?"

"It depends," Raven responded in an almost cautious tone, "on whether or not Danny will need me after Danielle feels better."

"Need you?" Sam asked warily.

"Yeah, for backup and…wait, he didn't tell you?" Raven's expression became unreadable, which piqued Sam's curiosity.

"Tell us what?"

"That…" Raven hesitated for a moment. "He's part of the Titans now."

"He is?" Tucker interrupted, having overheard the conversation. He had long since helped Mrs. Fenton rearrange equipment and had inadvertently eavesdropped on the girls. "Awesome! I can't believe he didn't tell us! I wonder if he'll let me have a look at one of those Titan communicators..."

"Wow. That's…great," Sam reacted in a not so enthusiastic way. Raven's eyebrow arced ever so slightly as she perceived her reluctant tone. "Uh, Tucker, can you come over hear a second? I think Mrs. Fenton just called us to help with something."

"I didn't hear her…hey!" Sam physically dragged Tucker to the other side of the lab, out of earshot from Raven. "What was that for?"

"Did you hear what she said?" the goth girl asked in a hushed, yet livid tone, "Do you know what this means?"

"Of course I know what it means! It means our boy is moving up in the superhero biz. It means Danny's going to actually have a good reputation for once…"

"It means that he won't need us anymore," Sam finished flatly.

Tucker did a double take, staring at her as if she had her head missing. "What?" Where the heck did you get that from?" Tucker queried in confusion. "Of course Danny still needs us."

"You obviously don't remember freshman year," she grumbled, "Because if you did, you wouldn't be so confused. Let me jog your memory. You recall when Danny got invited to that party by Dash? Or when he was dating a possessed Paulina for that unbearable amount of time? Both times Danny became one of the popular kids and both times we got the shaft."

"And you think the same thing is happening now?" Tucker concluded, piecing together her logic.

"I know that's what's going on! Except now, instead of Dash, Kwan, and Paulina, we have the Titans. I mean, why wouldn't he want them over us? They're superheroes, like him. He's not going to have to babysit them whenever he goes off in a fight, unlike some of his other friends." Her voice dripped with venomous sarcasm.

"You do realize that this is crazy, don't you?" he asked in disbelief. "Danny isn't going ditch us like that."

"You think I'm crazy?" she countered forcibly, "We'll see who's crazy when he kicks us to the curb, again. Or don't remember all the crap he put us through last year."

"Sam, you're being paranoid," Tucker stated, trying to calm down his friend, "Danny isn't going to replace us. Listen, you're not thinking straight right now. Why don't you go upstairs and take a nap or something. Danny isn't coming in till much later, so you should get some rest and chill out a bit." Tucker's eyes pleaded from behind his glasses, which did not go unnoticed.

"Fine," she relented, "Whatever. But I'm right and you know it, Tucker." With a huff, Sam collected her things and stomped up the stairway, but not before sneaking one last venomous stare at Raven. Tucker sighed, groaning inwardly; it wasn't as if he already had his hands full.

"Is she going to be alright?" Raven asked from behind him. He jumped in surprise, unaware of her arrival.

"She's fine. Sam's just getting a bit impatient about Danny, so I suggested she get some fresh air," he lied deftly, a trait he had learned well over the years. Raven looked as if she didn't buy his claim, but decided not to question him further as she walked away.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Gah! Why can't he see what's going on?!" Sam emphasized her frustration as the couch felt the wrath of her booted foot. Sighing, she turned and fell back, falling into the couch. It had been ages since she had sat there, one of the many places she, Tucker**,** and Danny used to frequent back in the good old days. She wished that they could just go back to the way things were. She knew, however, that things world never go back. They had all changed too much since then.

Maybe Tucker was right; maybe she was just overreacting. It had been a weird few weeks. The problem was what if she wasn't wrong? She wasn't going to lose him again; not after all that trouble they had went through to get him back. She wasn't going to let Danny just toss them aside again; she wasn't going to give him the chance. The only thing she could think of, however, was the thing she had been mulling over for quite a while now; the moment she feared and longed for at the same time. If she confessed her true feelings, there might be a chance. She might not be able to stop change, but at least she could push it in her favor.

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**AN: Hope you liked this one. Once again, special thanks to Cordria for her suggestions and kind words. Hopefully thanks to her, I'll be able to churn out some better chapters. See you next time, everyone!**


	7. Chapter 6: Homecoming

**Author's Notes: I am sorry.**

**Fans of my work: I am terribly sorry for the hiatus. A few things hit me at once last month which sorta slowed me down: mainly finals from last semester and just a bout of the infamous writers block/ dry spell. I was working on a chapter, but I rewrote a few areas a few times and got stuck at other places. Thankfully, I was able to bust this one out for all of you. For those who were patient, thank you for waiting.**

**More after the story.**

* * *

Lost and Found Chapter 6: Homecoming

Morning soon came somewhere in Oregon as the Fenton ghost RV sped along the interstate. Inside, one Danny Fenton slowly awoke from a night of fitful sleep. The teen hero rubbed his eyes as he surveyed his surroundings: he found himself lying in one of the bunks in the back of the vehicle. He didn't know when unconsciousness had claimed him the night before. The halfa had been stubbornly resistant to getting any rest, much to both Jazz and his father's protests to the contrary. They had argued that his time during the trip would be better spent recharging. He had argued that even he wanted to, he couldn't. There had been just too much clouding his mind. Sometime last night, however, the exhaustion from the previous day had caught up to him.

The first thing he noticed this morning as he rubbed his eyes was the loud snoring emanating from the other side of the enclosure. Its source was his father, Jack, who was in the middle of blissful slumber. If he and his Dad was back here, that meant that Jazz was at the wheel. He reasoned that explained the rather smooth ride, something that he couldn't necessarily attribute to his father's driving. Rising to his feet, he took a peak past the front seats. Danny could feel the warm rays of sunshine hitting his face, causing him to squint from the sudden change in brightness.

"Morning, sleepy head," the cheery voice of Jazz greeted him. "Have a nice nap?"

"Not really," he replied sourly. Climbing through the partition, he took a seat in the passenger's side. "Where are we, exactly?"

"We should be a few hours away from Amity Park," she clarified. She continued, answering his unasked question, "And if you're wondering about Dad, he tried to pull the same 'I don't need to sleep' routine you pulled last night. I was able to persuade him otherwise."

"Promised him fudge?" he asked flatly.

"Works every time," she confirmed with a grin. "The stuff knocks him out like nobody's business." She glanced to her brother, gauging his reaction. Although a small smirk could be seen, his face remained otherwise impassive. "Hey, could go wake Dad up? We're going to be stopping soon."

Danny looked back at her quizzically, "I thought you just said we were hours away from home?"

"We are. We're just going to be making a little pit stop first."

"Wait, what?" His brows furrowed in defiance, "No way. We don't have time to just lollygag."

"First of all, lollygag? You've been spending too much time around Dad. Second of all I'm tired and we're all hungry, not to mention that we're low on gas. We definitely need a break. And besides, we're already here." Smiling, Jazz pointed towards the windshield.

Danny, following the direction she pointed, becoming aware of the fact that the RV had just pulled over into a truck stop. The vehicle parked in front of a diner next to two semi trucks. The halfa growled indignantly as Jazz cut off the motor and pulled the key from the ignition. "Jazz…"

"Come on, Danny; I know you're hungry. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday."

Danny raised a finger in order to object to the allegations brought up by his sister, but his dissent was cut short, however, as a loud rumble reverberated inside the front compartment. Danny blushed as he clutched his stomach guiltily.

A knowing smile erupted from Jazz. "See, I told you. You're not going to be helping anyone on an empty stomach. And it's not even going to take that long, I promise. And besides, I hear they make some nice fudge cake here."

"Fudge?! Where?" Jack called from his resting place, now fully alert at the utterance of his favorite snack food.

Danny grumbled in defeat. He knew that it was never a good idea to get in between his father and food, which was probably Jazz's intention from the start. He gave her an accusatory look, which she promptly ignored as she stepped out the driver's side.

A bell on the door announced the three Fenton's presence as they entered the quaint establishment. The diner was noticeably quiet, save for some music playing from a radio in the cooking area. Two truckers occupied seats at the counter, sipping their coffee silently. Jack, Jazz, and Danny took a seat a few booths away from the door. A young 

blonde waitress in her twenties appeared small notepad in hand. Her blue uniform matched the old fashion décor of the truck stop and her nametag proudly displayed the name 'Jenny', "What can I get you folks this morning?"

Danny opened his mouth, ready to decline any breakfast. Jazz, however, was quicker to the draw. The redhead had already taken a quick survey of the menu and had planned a meal for each of them, "We'll have three of your morning specials, along with three cups of OJ and…" she glanced at her father as he looked at her expectantly, "You guys don't sell any fudge, do you?"

The waitress smiled in response. "We don't have any fudge, but will some chocolate muffins do? They're fresh out of the oven."

Jack's eyes lit up brightly, nodding in approval.

"Alright, then," she said, scribbling in the remainder of the order, "Food will be right up." She gave a welcoming grin before heading off to the kitchen.

"Feels like ages since I've had a good meal," the Fenton patriarch boasted as he rubbed his tummy in anticipation. Danny mumbled something under his breath, clearly not as enthusiastic as his father was. Jazz simply gave a cheery smile, hoping to get her brother in a better mood.

Moments later, the waitress returned, deftly balancing three trays of food in both hands. "Here you go. Enjoy the meal." Each tray had a plate topped by a stack of pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs, sausages and hash browns.

Not needing any more encouragement, Jack Fenton went to work. After slathering the pancakes in syrup, the ghost hunter grabbed a knife and fork and began to devour his meal heartily. Jazz enjoyed the meal as well, although without as much gusto. Danny resisted at first, though even he couldn't deny the hunger that had been growing the night before. The halfa reluctantly took a few bites of the meal, stealing glances at his sister as he did so.

"Seconds!" Jack cried out. The large man's hunger was far from being satiated. A small blush of embarrassment appeared upon Jazz's cheeks at her father's outburst.

Jenny suddenly appeared once again, balancing two more trays of food. "I figured you'd want more, she replied with a small giggle as she skillfully replaced Jacks empty plates. "There more where that came from."

As their father continued to have his fill of breakfast, Jazz quickly put the plan she had been concocting into action. Hastily finishing off her plate, the girl cleared her throat, "Dad, is it alright if I go get some fresh air outside with 

Danny?" A muffled reply and a nod was all she got for an answer. Taking it as a yes, Jazz got up and headed for the door, grabbing Danny's arm along the way.

The halfa gave a yell in protest as he was dragged out the door. "Hey, what's the big idea!" he was able to croak as he forced a mouthful of food down his throat.

"I just wanted to talk, that's all. Away from Dad." She watched as Danny folded his hands and glared, "You know, how we used to talk; back when we were little. You remember that, Danny?" Jazz noticed Danny's eyes softening up a bit, though his brow never wavered.

"Jazz, we don't have time for this. I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine, really. Nothing to worry about."

"You're not fine, Danny," she countered calmly, "How can you be fine after what's been happening the last couple of days?"

"Ok, so I'm not fine. Happy?" he retorted. His voice dripped with frustrated annoyance as he turned towards the RV. "Seriously, Jazz, we're wasting time here. The faster we get back to Amity Park the better."

"Danny, you're doing it again."

Her words caused him to stop in mid-step. His body spun back towards her, revealing his now confused face. "I'm doing what again?"

"You're closing yourself off again," the psychologist-to-be explained, "Look, I know I'm not Raven or Sam or Tucker, but you know you can come talk to me, right? Keeping it bottled up is only going to cause you more problems in the long run."

"You want to know what's wrong with me?" he replied suddenly. Anger once again painted his face as he continued, "Maybe it's the fact that my cousin is dying and I can't do a damn thing to help her or protect her from the crazed up fruit loop I call my arch nemesis. Or maybe it's the fact that I'm going to see my best friends again; the same friends, mind you, that I treated like crap for a year." The halfa was pacing now, walking back and forth beside the parked RV. Jazz watched her brother intently, not daring to butt in, "I mean, yeah, we've talked on the phone and everything, but what happens when I meet them face to face? I screwed up royally with them. What happens if they change their minds and they dump me like I dumped them?

"And then there's the thing with Raven. I mean, what if they don't like her? It's not like they've liked any of my other girlfriends before. What if they can't stand her? Even worse, when the whole thing with Danni is over, what 

then? I can't ask her to stay, when she has a city to protect back in Jump City? How is the whole dating thing supposed to work when we're so far away? Heck, we haven't even been on a date yet!" Danny's shoulders slumped over as he vented his last bit of hostility. He let his body lean till his back hit the side of the RV. His hands covered his face as he let out a frustrated sigh. "Why does my life have to be so complicated?" He suddenly felt a hand lay itself upon his shoulder. Looking up, he was greeted by the warm, comforting smile of his sister.

"Listen, Danny," she began, "I know things have been rough for you. They've been rough for everyone recently. The thing you have to remember is that you aren't alone anymore. Mom, Dad and I are here. I'm also pretty sure Sam and Tucker still have your back as well. We may not have all the answers all the time, but we'll at least be there to listen." Her smile grew even wider, "Don't you feel better now that you've let it out?"

"Actually, now that you mention it…" he paused for a moment as something clicked in his head. He turned to sister, a critical look in his eye, "You planned for this to happen, didn't you?"

Jazz stuck out her tongue in confirmation, "Guilty as charged. Hope you didn't mind me pushing your buttons like that, but it's the best way to get you to spill your guts."

The glare on Danny's face returned, though it was much softer than before.

"And you're welcome," Jazz spoke, "Now let's get back inside before Dad eats this place out of business."

Danny observed his sister walk back to the truck stop. He wanted to be angry at her, but he did feel a lot better than before. The underlying current of worry was still there, but he felt it was greatly lessened now. "How the heck does she do that?" he wondered to himself as he followed her inside.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Something was missing.

In the dark recesses of his evidence room, Robin growled in frustration. The Boy Wonder had spent what felt like days trying to make heads or tails of the pieces of evidence staring back at him from the corkboard. He knew this was the hardest part of his job; putting together the pieces of a mystery like that of a puzzle. The problem right now was that there very, very few pieces to work with, as was evident by the board in question. On it were a few scraps of paper, mostly police reports from the past couple of weeks, held up by pushpins. Some colored string was tied in between the push-pins, illustrating what the Boy Wonder thought were connections. His eyes traced the links towards where they converged. A single paper that held a single name: Julian Marcus.

Robin's fist connected his desk for the umpteenth time. Marcus was good, if that was really his name. He left no traces of his existence. The museum had no record of a Julian Marcus working for them, whether as curator or otherwise. The warehouse where the first ghost attack took place was also a dead end. The space that the Box Ghost had searched for Xanthus Pyre's book was indeed leased by the museum. However, the workers there had no recollection of meeting Marcus or of the shipment from the library that mysteriously disappeared. It was as if he and the books never existed.

Robin knew better. What infuriated him the most was that all of this was done right under his nose. Robin should have seen that something was amiss the moment the library was mentioned. That wasn't the case, however. He and the other Titans were so preoccupied with Phantom and the ghost attacks that he hadn't bothered to follow the dots. Because of his ineptness, hundreds of books were now missing, each of which had the potential of being very dangerous.

He let a sigh of solemn defeat: if it was Him, this would not have happened. No matter how much he tried to differentiate himself, no matter how hard he tried to stand out, Robin couldn't help but compare himself to his old mentor. Batman would have stopped the ghosts and caught wind of whatever Marcus was planning. The fact that Robin hadn't figured out something was wrong until now was proof of that. No matter how hard he tried, he felt as if he was always in the Batman's shadow. Even after he had moved out of Gotham and came to Jump City to start things fresh, he couldn't shake off that particular curse.

His thoughts were interrupted by a beep from the door, indicating someone wanted entry. Who was coming to him at this time of night? Robin looked up at the clock on his wall and did a double take. Seven o'clock in the morning? When did it get so late… or rather early? He was so caught up in trying to find a breakthrough in his case that he didn't even notice the time go by. The door beeped again, this time followed by a knock.

"Robin?" a familiar voice called from the other side of the barrier. "Robin, are you there? I could not find you in your room, so…"

The sound of Starfire's voice caused the boy wonder to tense, though only for a brief moment. In all his wandering through the clues, he had completely forgotten about that 'thing'. Shaking off the exhaustion he had and putting on an alert face, he walked over to the door and activated the opening mechanism. With a swoosh, the door opened, revealing a worried Starfire.

"Robin!" she cried, her anxiousness dissolving into her usual cheerful demeanor. She smiled brightly, something Robin always loved about her. "I am happy to see you are conscious. I thought that I might have been too early."

"You're not early at all," he lied deftly, a nervous smile plaster on his face. In truth, he didn't think she would be here so soon. He had hoped she might have come in a little bit later, giving him enough time to prepare for her arrival.

"May I… enter?" the Tamaranian asked cautiously, peering past his shoulder. He reluctantly moved to the side, allowing her access to his evidence room. With a muffled cry of joy, the girl entered, her feet never touching the ground.

Robin silently wondered how in the world he got into this predicament. The evidence room was the young detective's unofficial domain. If Robin wasn't with the others or training or out on patrol, he was in there. It also earned the reputation among the other Titans as being 'No Man's Land'. No one dared to enter the room, for risk of suffering Robin's wrath. This was where Robin honed his skills as a detective, or so he liked to think. The unfortunate truth was that this where Robin practically lived. Robin was known as sort of a perfectionist, pouring over every single detail, leaving no clue unexamined until he had the whole picture. He had spent hours holed up in the evidence room, with nothing more than a desk lamp for lighting, as was the case last night. This was also the place where he went off to brood after an unsuccessful battle, especially when it came to Slade; then the hours he spent would multiply into days. During those times, no one was permitted to enter, not for any reason. So how did Starfire managed to gain the honor of entering in such a place?

To put it simply, Robin lost a bet.

A few weeks ago, Cyborg had put a friendly wager into play among his fellow Titans. The metallic teen had theorized that Raven and Danny would make a cute couple and due to some similarities between the two that they would eventually hook up. Both Robin and Beast Boy had rebuffed this idea, thinking that Cyborg was reading too much into something that wasn't there. Cyborg, knowing fully about Robin's competitive nature, decided to stake a bet on his theory; a bet Robin couldn't help but accept.

After the conditions were set, Robin, being the detective that he was, decided a little investigation was in order. So he decided to use a source that he could trust: his girlfriend, Starfire. He knew that she and Raven were practically sisters and hoped that she would be able to divulge whether or not something was happening between her and Danny. Although Starfire denied having any knowledge of a relationship, pending or otherwise, she did express her wish for one. So much so, that once she found out about the bet, she decided to join in herself.

Robin wanted to kick himself, repeatedly, for letting his competitive edge get the better of him. He should have seen it coming, but who would have thought that Starfire, of all people, would corner him in such an obvious trap? It was one thing he was always doing: underestimating her. He always saw her how she was when she first joined the Titans: innocent, naïve, and cheerful to a fault. His perception of her caused him to be caught off guard 

whenever she revealed another facet of her personality. Getting to know her was both a blessing and a curse, as she always seemed to surprise him with something new.

When she voiced her desire to join in the bet, Robin deduced it was because she wanted to try out another Earth custom, as she was known to do. She agreed to the terms of the wager: the loser would have to agree do something that the winner requested. Starfire decided not to reveal her terms if she won, stating she would need time to think about it. Robin never gave it a second thought; it never crossed his mind that she would win. Even if she did, he thought it would be something akin to trying out her latest alien dish. That was something he could handle, despite the… uniqueness of some of her cooking.

Unfortunately, as he learned yesterday, her conditions were much different than that: she wanted to spend the day with him. At first glance, this wouldn't seem to be a bad thing. The two hadn't had enough alone time recently. The bad part was where she wanted to spend time with him: the evidence room. The room he spent more time in than even his own bedroom. Robin tried to talk himself out of it, but Starfire, being too good of a learner, stuck to the rules of the bet to the letter. There was no way for him to escape now.

"It is very dark in here, is it not?" the alien girl commented as she entered the room. Robin, not uttering a word, flipped the switch by the side of the door, immediately bathing the room in pale white light. After blinking due to her eyes adjusting, Starfire's eyes widened to the size of saucers as they darted to and fro. She had only been in here only a handful of times, mostly to try and fish Robin out whenever the others and herself felt he had been brooding for too long. Even then, the room was always dimly lit. Seeing it with the lights on was a whole other experience. Around the perimeter of the room were pedestals, each housing familiar trinkets from cases past. What caught her interest the most was the obviously busy desk and the large board behind it.

"So, this is it," the boy wonder stated reluctantly. One arm rubbed the other as he watched her take in her surroundings. He felt quite vulnerable at the moment. This was his sanctuary; his place to think, to deliberate. It was also his place away from the others. Don't get it wrong: he loved hanging out with his teammates, but there was only so much he could take from Beast Boy's mischief or Cyborg's video game challenges or even, much to his shame, Starfire's surprise alien cuisine. He felt like this was somewhat of an invasion of privacy, a fact that made him feel a little bit guilty. It was then that Robin noticed the picnic basket that dangled one of Starfire's hands. The direction of his stare caused her face to brighten somewhat.

"Oh! I hope you do not mind. I knew it was early, so I was hoping we could partake in the breaking of fast this morning!"

"…Great…" he answered with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. He forced a smile as she tried to find a spot to lay out their meal. Robin cleared a spot on his desk and prepared his stomach for another alien delicacy. He 

found himself greatly surprised at what he found. "Wow. This is actually…" He caught himself at the last moment, before he could say anything he would probably regret. Starfire looked at her boyfriend earnestly, awaiting fir a response. "Uh…Earthy?"

Her answer was a resounding shriek of delight. "Glorious! I am overjoyed that you approve! Cyborg spent much time teaching me how to prepare the typical Earth morning meal." Robin silently hoped that the lessons paid off. At her beckoning, he carefully took a forkful of her cooking and placed it precariously into his mouth. The room was filled with silence as his face revealed nothing to Starfire's curious gaze. "Was I successful in creating an authentic meal?"

Robin didn't answer verbally; instead the Titan began to dig in. He found the meal quite delicious, actually. True, it wasn't exactly what he was expecting. Starfire had somehow added her own style to the cuisine, but it wasn't bad. It was just unique. He had to admit, she had become much better at it than he realized. He really did have to thank Cyborg later on, even if he had to face his ribbing in the process.

Starfire soon joined in, taking a seat next to him as they finished their meal together. She pulled out their beverages: a bottle of orange juice for Robin and a yellow container of mustard for herself. Sipping the spicy yellow liquid, the Tamaranian girl watched as he ate. "Robin?" she asked assiduously, gaining the attention of her boyfriend, "I am truly glad we are able to spend this time together. Lately, it feels as if we have not seen each other in a long time."

Robin stopped chewing and looked back at Starfire. He felt himself getting lost on the twin oceans that were her eyes. He also felt the large waves of guilt crashing down on him. She was right, of course: the two haven't seen a lot of each other lately. He let out a heavy sigh and placed a hand onto hers, "I'm sorry about that, Star. I guess I've been letting my work get the better of me."

"Is it…" Starfire hesitated as she wore a conflicted look on her face.

"Star?" Robin asked as he gave her hand a tight, reassuring squeeze.

Her pause lasted a few moments more before she responded, "I…I was just wondering if your work is something I may assist you with?" Indecision was written all over the girl's face as she trained her gaze to her lap. "I know that I may not be as knowledgeable as you at the crime solving and the cracking of the cases, but perhaps…" She shook her head. "I am sorry; it was a foolish request." She began to stand up.

"Star?"

"Forgive me for intruding. You must very important work to accomplish." She began walking away, hiding the tears in her eyes as she did so. She didn't get very far because a gloved hand held fast to her wrist.

"Star… I'm…. I promised I wasn't going to do this to you again. Looks like old habits are still hard to break." Starfire still faced away from him as he continued, "I'm sorry about not spending time with you, Starfire. You mean more to me than any crime or case. And even more importantly, I'm sorry if I made you feel that you can't help me or that your opinion isn't important, because it is. It's just that sometimes I get so caught up that I forget that all of you can help me, especially you." He paused for a moment, his face appearing as if he was deciding something. "Star, I was wondering if you could… give me a hand on something."

"You truly wish for my help?" she asked. She turned back to him with tear filled eyes that nearly broke his heart.

"Of course I do," he replied with a smile, "Your perspective might be what I need to crack this case."

"You truly mean it?" She was greeted with a smile and a nod. Squealing in delight, the Tamaranian girl gave her love a large, warm hug, knocking the air out of him in the process.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Maddie Fenton fought off a migraine as she tried to focus on the data on the screen in front of her. The ghost huntress was overwhelmed, to say the least, not to mention that she was operating on very little sleep, which made it nearly impossible to concentrate. Even so, she continued to pour over the data, trying to find something that stood out. Earlier that day, Danielle had been awake and well enough for Maddie to perform a few scans. Luckily, Dani had been strong enough to transform a few times, though doing so drained the girl immensely. Although it gave her much needed information, Maddie couldn't help but feel a little guilty for having her exert herself like that. The girl was now resting in her makeshift medical bed on the other side of the lab.

The sound of porcelain hitting the metallic table caught Maddie's attention. Looking away from the computer, she found a fresh, steaming cup of tea sitting beside the keyboard. The benefactor of the beverage was none other than Raven, who gave a small yet warm smile.

"Thought you might need a 'pick-me-up'," the girl stated.

Maddie smiled back in return, picking up the cup and giving it a sip. Though Maddie, like her daughter, had always been a coffee person, she was quickly beginning to appreciate tea. The blend Raven had brought with her had a soothing effect and at the same time made her alert enough to concentrate. "Thank you."

Raven simply nodded. The sorceress then made her way over to Danielle's bed to check up on her status.

"Are Sam and Tucker still upstairs?"

"Last time I checked they were," the Titan replied. "They're still waiting for…" She cocked her head and then smiled. "They're here."

"How did you..."

"Honey, we're home!" a booming voice echoed throughout the Fenton household.

Maddie soon had a matching grin of her own at the arrival of her family. Both woman got up to head upstairs, Maddie by conventional means (climbing up the stairs) while Raven took a more direct approach by floating upwards and phasing through the ceiling.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Honey, we're home!" Jack Fenton bellowed as he entered the back entrance into the kitchen. Jazz and Danny followed after him, both of them cringing at the volume of his voice.

"Jeez, Dad," Danny complained, "Could you be any louder?"

"You can't really blame him," Jazz interjected, "It has been a while since we've been home."

"That's true," the halfa had to admit. He took in the sight of the kitchen and realized how much he himself missed it. He couldn't wait to go back to his room and visit his favorite places and just hang out with Sam and Tucker…

Sam and Tucker. The worry that he seemed to have forgotten during the last leg of the trip was back in full force. He didn't really have a reason to be nervous, did he? They were still his friends and they were still important to him. Sure, it would take a while for things to get to the way they were, but to him, it was worth it. They were worth it.

"I'm going downstairs to check on your mother," Jack stated as he headed towards the entrance to the lab.

"I'll come with you, Dad. I bet Mom needs the help." Jazz turned to her brother, "Are you coming, Danny?"

"Go on ahead. I'll catch up. Just give me a minute to catch my breath."

Jazz smiled knowingly as she followed her father down the steps. Danny decided to take a seat, heaving a heavy sigh.

"Alright, Danny, get a grip," he uttered under his breath. "You're home now. Nothing to worry about."

"Maybe I can help you calm down?" a voice stated, catching the halfa by surprise. He turned, only to find Raven's mouth colliding into his. The reaction was immediate: all the tension in his body seemed to melt away almost instantly. The sorceress pulled back, eliciting a slightly disappointing whimper from Danny. "Looks like it worked."

Danny found himself speechless and grinning. Their tender moment was cut short, however, as a gasp and a shattering of a plate was heard from the living room entrance. The couple turned to find a wide eyed Sam and Tucker.

"Uhh…surprise?"

* * *

**AN: hehe. I love Cliffies.**

**First things first. I'd love to thank the lovely and talented Cordria for beta-reading. She's been extremely helpful in couching me on my writing style. She also got me through some writing dry spells. I thank you very much, Cor. You rock. And everyone: read her stories.**

**Second of all, I'm going to be doing a bi-weekly schedule (once every two weeks). That'll give me some time to churn out some chapters and hopefully I can hopefully build up some sort of buffer again. For those who want a more consistent sched, be happy! I hope you enjoyed and keep on reading.**


	8. Chapter 7: Of Friends and Lovers

**Author's Notes: A little bit late, but here comes another chapter. Thank you for everyone who either voted or favorite me. I really appreciate the support. You guys rock and rock out loud.**

* * *

Lost and Found Chapter 7: Of Friends and Lovers

The flow of time seemed to slow down to a crawl in the Fenton kitchen. No one dared to utter a word as the two sides stared back at one another, their forms frozen in place. Raven could feel the atmosphere change abruptly as the air seemed to thicken with tension. She mentally cursed herself for the lack of judgment that had led up to this moment. She knew that Danny's friends weren't yet aware about his newly formed relationship, if her conversation with them from last night had been any indication. She had been planning on waiting patiently until he had told his friends the truth. Unfortunately, it seemed that her emotions had other plans… an occurrence that was becoming all too common recently. The moment Danny came within range of her empathic senses, she just couldn't help herself. Raven missed him more than she'd realized which resulted in the current regrettable situation.

Though the room was currently engulfed in an aura of silence, that wasn't the case for the empath, who fought to not be overwhelmed by the torrent of emotion sent her way from the other three occupants of the room. From Danny, she felt a wave of anxiety so strong that it bore on him like the thousand pounds of water in a tidal wave. Mixed in with his unease were feelings of regret, most likely due to the fact that his friends had to find out this way, rather than from his lips. Raven could also a sense of foreboding from the halfa: he was expecting something big to happen, though even he was unsure of what.

Tucker had a healthy level of shock coursing through his mind, though that wasn't the most interesting feeling coming from the techno geek. She felt a similar anticipation of danger from him and it was obvious from the boy's actions to whom it was focused on, as he took a few unconscious steps back from his female companion, almost as if she were a time bomb ready to explode at any moment. Tucker also radiated remorse, but about what Raven wasn't sure.

The tangled mess that was Sam's emotions was what hit Raven the hardest. Like Tucker, she, too, seemed to be jolted by the recent turn of events, though her reaction seemed to be several times stronger and much different than his. Sorrow, regret, jealousy and betrayal emitted from the girl like a lighthouse in a foggy night, though it wasn't evident on her face. Then suddenly, it was as if something clicked and the emotions all congealed into one: anger. Sam's face changed, morphing along with her new emotional state, into a scowl, directed at both Danny and Raven.

"So, you were going to tell us this… when?" Her words pierced through the veil of silence with a hint of venom.

Danny physically winced from her tone, his gaze straying away from the weight of hers. One of his hands reached up and began to rub the back of his neck; something he always did when he was nervous. "I meant to tell you guys earlier. But then you and Valerie got captured and then I got hurt and was out of it for a while and then Dani…"

"Wait a second. You and she have been seeing each other since when?!" Sam's anger seemed to multiply exponentially, "You've been talking to Tucker and I for a whole week since you've gotten out of your coma and not once did you think it was important to tell us about… this?!"

Danny finally ceased to avoid her stare, his face now painted with defiance. "I was afraid to tell you, alright? I didn't know how you would react. I mean, you haven't been necessarily positive of my other girlfriends…"

"Hmm…I wonder why? Maybe it's because Paulina was a shallow tramp who didn't give a crap about you? Or maybe the fact that, I don't know, Valerie was trying to kill you? You don't exactly have a good track record when it comes to girlfriends, Danny."

"Raven is different," the halfa exclaimed loudly. His outburst caught everyone else in the room by surprise. His hand instinctively reached out for Raven's before he continued to speak, as if her touch gave him the courage to continue. Raven replied, interlacing her fingers with his and giving him a supportive squeeze.

"Raven…she means a lot to me," he explained calmly, "I really like her and I really wanted you guys to like her, too."

Though Sam's face kept its frown, Raven could feel the rage that backed it up was wavering. A sliver of guilt and uncertainty seemed to crack the girl's resolve. "Danny, I…"

"Danny!" The sound of Jazz's voice cut through the viscous ambiance, breaking everyone's train of thought. The redhead entered from the downstairs stairway, doing a quick scan of the room until she found her brother. "Danny, there you are! Mom and Dad want you to come downstairs so they can start scanning… wait," she stopped abruptly, finally becoming aware of the scene in front of her. "Is everything alright? Am I interrupting something?"

"Nothing's wrong, Jazz," Sam responded, her voice dripping with false pleasantness. "We were just welcoming Danny back, that's all. Isn't that right, Tucker?"

Tucker, who had remained silent for the entirety of the confrontation, simply nodded.

"Come on, Tuck. I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Fenton need some help downstairs." She proceeded to drag her techno savvy friend towards the stairwell.

"Danny?" Jazz asked worriedly, her sisterly instincts kicking into overdrive.

"Everything's fine, Jazz," her brother responded. "Just peachy. Tell Mom and Dad I'll be down there in a few."

Jazz wasn't entirely convinced that her brother was ok, but she complied and made her way back downstairs. The moment she left the room, Danny collapsed back into his chair, clearly exhausted. His hand racked through his hair as he let out a ragged sigh.

"That could have gone better," he muttered. He felt Raven's comforting hand rest on his shoulder.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have…"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Rae," he disagreed, "I should have told them about us before hand."

"You have to realize that what happened between you hurt them a great deal," she began, "It takes time to rebuild trust."

"It doesn't help that I didn't tell them everything." His gaze remained firmly planted onto the table. "Gah, why is this so damn hard!"

"No one said it would be easy. It's going to take a lot of work to build things back up to the way things were."

Danny finally turned his head upwards, his eyes immediately locking with hers. "That's not what I'm afraid of. What happens if things never get back to the way they were?"

"I don't think I have an answer for that. All I know is that if you think they're worth fighting for, that's all that should matter." She watched as he mulled over her words.

Danny's face softened somewhat a smile blossomed. "How do you keep doing that?"

"Do what?"

"You always know what to say to put things in perspective," he observed as his girlfriend's lips morphed into a whisper of a smile.

"It must be magic," she quipped nonchalantly. She bent over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Now let's get going. You have a cousin to save, don't you?"

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

"We must tell her at once!"

Robin let out a frustrating sigh in response to Starfire's declaration. The Boy Wonder had spent the past hour explaining to his girlfriend the various details and clues he had gathered in regard to Julian Marcus and the missing contents of the Library. He had actually been surprised at how easy the process had been. There had been a question or two from the alien girl, but overall, she seemed to assimilate the information relatively well. It wasn't until he had finally finished revealing all he knew that she spoke up.

"Star, that's something we can't do. At least not yet."

"I do not understand why you believe that to be the case." Starfire's eyes were filled with burning determination as she pleaded her case heatedly. "Does not your current investigation effect Raven the most? Would she not like to know of your findings? It is not fair of us to withhold information from her like this!"

"It's not that I don't realize that this would impact Raven…" he began.

"Then why do you keep this from her?"

"Star, you remember when we fought that first ghost in the warehouse?" The question posed by Robin caught her off guard. "You remember how Raven acted when that ghost mentioned her father's name?"

"Friend Raven was most troubled," Starfire replied. "I had never seen her in so much distress… not since last year."

"Her past has that effect on her," he confirmed. "That's why I haven't told her anything yet. It would only give her something else to worry about."

"Even though that is true…"

"Not only that, but for the first time in a long time, she's happy." The Boy wonder let his words sink in before he continued. "Ever since she and Danny have gotten together, she's been different; even more than after we defeated Trigon. Being with Danny has helped her to open up a lot."

"Is that… is that the true reason you let her go with Danny to his city of birth?" Her voice no longer had a dissentient tone, a sign that she understood where he was coming from.

"She needed the break. Though she doesn't admit it, the whole ghost ordeal shook her up more than even she probably realizes. Being in Amity with Danny will help Raven clear her head."

Starfire still showed some doubt on her face, as well as the wavering tenor of her voice. "But, still…"

"Listen, Star." He placed his hands square on her shoulders and looked straight into those large, beautiful, green orbs that were her eyes, "I know how you feel. I just don't think now would be a good time to tell her. I promise that once I get enough solid evidence, she'll be the first to know. Okay?" Robin waited a few moments for a response. Starfire closed her eyes and timidly nodded. He could tell that it was a tough decision for her to make. He knew that the girls were close and that Starfire wasn't accustomed to keeping things from Raven. He let out a sigh of relief as he let his arms fall from her shoulders.

The silence was broken an instant later, "Though I understand that discretion may be… essential for Raven's sake, I do not believe that the same case applies for the others."

The Boy Wonder tried to compose himself from the loop his girlfriend just threw at him. "Star…"

"I do not believe there would be a problem," she continued carefully, "Is there not an Earth saying that says that multiple craniums are more advantageous than just one?"

"Star, we can't…"

"Why can we not? Did you not say before that we all can aid you?" She smiled innocently, though there was more than a glimmer of mischief in her eye.

Robin tried to refute her words, but found that he couldn't. Starfire had beaten him using his own words. He sighed in defeat. "Alright, we'll tell them."

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

"So, she got you to spill, didn't she?" Cyborg was grinning widely in response to the news.

"Got me to spill?" Robin replied.

"What, you think we wouldn't notice you locking yourself up in your 'Robin Cave' every night for the past couple of weeks?" Beast Boy explained.

"Yeah, we all knew something was up, Rob." Cyborg smirk widened as he continued. "Of course, we wouldn't have to sick Star on you if you had just told us what was going on from the beginning."

"You guys planned this, didn't you?"

"I am most sorry for the deception, boyfriend Robin," Starfire began to explain, "It is just that, you have been most distant recently, so I went to Cyborg for some advise." She feared that an outburst from Robin would be forthcoming, but one never came.

Instead, the Boy Wonder's shoulders drooped dejectedly. "It doesn't matter. You guys were right."

A chuckle erupted from Cyborg's lips. "Well, what do you know? You can teach an old bird new tricks!"

"I still don't like the fact that we're keeping Raven in the dark about this," Beast Boy interjected.

The metallic Titan tried to ease his friend's concern, "I'd normally agree with you, BB, but Rob has a point. Our girl needs a break from all the craziness that's been going on."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." The changling crossed his arms discontentedly.

"Cyborg," Robin began, his face now all business, "I need you to do a search on this 'Julian Marcus' guy. Who he is, where he's been: the works. The more we know about him, the better."

"No problem." Cyborg cracked his knuckles in anticipation. "If he left a data trail, it'll be a cinch to find."

Robin simply nodded. "I hope you're right, because I have a bad feeling that if we don't figure out what's going on soon, it's going to come back and bite us."

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Nervous?"

Raven's question caused Danny to jump. The halfa had been so pre-occupied with the upcoming procedure that his girlfriend's query caught him off guard. "Me, nervous? What gave you that idea?" A withering look from her told him that she didn't buy his act. "Okay, maybe I'm a little bit worried. I mean, this just brings back memories of when I thought my parents were going to dissect me."

He was, of course, referring to the upcoming battery of tests Jack and Maddie were about to perform on his being. Their plan was to learn as much as they could of their son's status of a halfa, in hopes of stabilizing his cousin/ clone, Danielle. "I know they aren't going to pull anything that'd hurt me… at least, nothing intentional."

A smirk appeared on Raven's face, "Speaking from experience?"

"Too much experience, if you ask me. There's a reason why I normally stay away from their gadgets." The young hero looked despondent. "Of course, there is also the matter of…" he nodded his head across the room. Raven looked in the direction he indicated, spotting Sam and Tucker. The two hadn't said a word to him since the incident upstairs and it had Danny worried. Tucker seemed to want to speak to him, if his apologetic glances were any indication. Unfortunately, Sam's fury seemed to get in the way.

"It'll work out," Raven reassured once again, though even she had her doubts.

"Danny, sweetie?" Maddie called before he could reply. "We're ready for you now."

Gulping, the raven-haired teen turned back to his girlfriend. "Wish me luck."

"Like you really need to ask," she replied as she kissed him on the cheek.

Blushing, the halfa walked towards his parents. His expression changed to a pensive one as he surveyed the various pieces of equipment that were strewn about that corner of the lab. "Do I even want to know what half this stuff does?"

Maddie was understanding of her son's distress and gave him a warm smile in hopes of calming him. "You don't need to worry about anything dear," she assured. She pointed to the gadgets that surrounded a metallic table close by. "Those scanners will let us have a closer look at what goes on when you 'go ghost'. I'm just going to need you to lie down there, Danny."

"Sure thing, Mom." He complied to his mother's wishes and laid down on the table. "Uhh… anything in particular you wanted me to do?"

"When I give the signal, I want you to transform," Maddie explained.

"That's it? That's all I need to do?"

"I think that's all we may need. If what Vlad told you about the mid-morph DNA is true, we should be able to figure something out by scanning you while you transform." As Maddie explained, she eyed the screen in front of her carefully, making sure everything was in working order. "How are things on your end, Jack?"

"All the sensors are set, Mads! And Tucker says the computer is ready to record all the data."

Maddie was glad that things were turning out ok. She put her focus back onto her son. "Alright, Danny. I want you to transform to your ghost form like you normally would."

Taking a deep breath, Danny let out a huge sigh, letting his edginess ebb out as he did so. "I'm going ghost!" He felt the familiar ring of light appear around his waist and split in two. They traveled up and down his body, replacing his human side with the familiar black and white costume of Danny Phantom. He was used to the tingle he always felt when he transformed; it felt as natural as breathing or moving a muscle.

"Did we get all that?"

"Everything looks good, Mrs. Fenton," Tucker replied as he looked over his PDA. "The server and the backup drives got everything."

"Good. You can change now, Danny." Maddie's eyes never left the screen as her son reversed the process and reverted back into his human form. "I want you to do it again, dear, though this time I want you to try and do it as slow as you can."

"No sweat," Danny replied confidently.

This went on for a half hour as the Fentons scanned their son in both his human and ghost forms, as well as every state in between. Every moment was documented by the Fenton's equipment for further study, though from Maddie could see, they had more than enough to move forward. "I think that just about does it. Good job, everyone."

Taking the cue, Danny began to get up from the gurney. "Glad that's…" He faltered, both in speech and in movement, as he suddenly began to collapse. His form didn't fall far, as both Raven and Sam grabbed and arm before he reached the ground. "I guess I didn't realize that transforming so many times would take that much out of me. Thanks."

"No problem," the girls said in almost complete unison. Raven and Sam realized their unintentional synchronicity and turned towards each other. Their eyes locked; Raven, hoping to lighten the mood, managed to produce a small smile. Sam, on the other hand, sent a scowl back at the Titan. Raven struggled not to send a dirty look of her own. The last thing she needed was for her to aggravate the situation more than it was now.

"Danny? Are you alright, dear?" Motherly concern dripped from Maddie's lips as she rushed over and did a quick examination of her son. "Jack, quick; let's get him somewhere he can lie down."

"Guys, I'm fine. Seriously. You're making a big fuss about nothing."

His parents thought otherwise as Jack took his son from Sam and Raven's grasp and carried him upstairs to the living room couch, with Danny protesting the whole way.

"Tucker?" Jazz asked as she suddenly appeared besides her brother's best friend.

"Oh, hey, Jazz," he replied. "What's up?"

"Why don't we have a little chat? Over there."

"Hey!" the techno geek yelped as he was forcefully dragged away by the redhead. This conveniently left Sam and Raven by themselves.

Raven decided that now was as good a time an any to make her move."I think we need to talk."

The powerless goth quickly hid her displeasure and gave the sorceress an undaunted look. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think I beg to differ," the Titan countered, not willing to back down easily. "I have the distinct feeling that you don't like the idea of Danny and I being together very much."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Sam replied coyly, dodging the issue like a seasoned pro.

Raven heaved a frustrated sigh. "Listen; I don't know what you think about me, so I just want make a few things clear. I'm not here to steal Danny away from you guys or anything petty like that. I know that you and Tucker mean a lot to him and I wouldn't dare stand in the way of your friendship with him. Whatever you may think, I'm not a threat."

Sam remained silent during Raven's speech, something that could easily be interpreted as either good or bad. Raven noted that the girl's emotions were once again in a state of flux; a fact she hid very well, save for the frown that played on her face.

"Danny is very lucky to have friends like you," the cloaked girl continued. "I can tell you care about him a lot."

"You're right," Sam replied, "I do care about Danny. I also care about his happiness. And you seem to make him happy. That's why I'm only going to say this once." Sam closed the distance between them in an instant, wielding a stern finger that poked at Raven's chest. "If you even think about breaking his heart, I don't care how you are or what powers you have, I'll make your life a living hell." With that, Sam made her way back upstairs, leaving the room in silence.

"That… could have gone better."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This better be good."

The city lights shone dimly, entering the large windows of the penthouse suite. The illumination highlighted the room the details of the room. Two sets of bookshelves, one on each side of the room, stretched out from the windows to the entrance wall. The shelves reached up to the top of the two-story room. The number of books most likely numbered in the tens of thousands, many of which were rare 

volumes he was proud to own. Other than the books, the room was decidedly bare, save for the large desk standing in front of the lane of glass that held out the outside world.

Sitting at the desk, dressed in a bathrobe made of the finest silk, he awaited a response from the man he had on the field. His fingers raked through his jet-black hair, a habit he had picked up over the years. Tentatively lifting an expensive glass of Russian vodka and sipping it, his patience was quickly wearing thin. . The computer screen on his desk finally flashed, indicating that they were connected and that the line was secure. "What do you have for me?" the man asked authoritatively.

"The Fentons are on the move," the figure on the screen replied. His features were masked by darkness, most likely on purpose, "They left Jump City last night, and by earlier this afternoon they arrived at their home in Amity Park, sir."

"Any Phantom sightings since their return?"

"No, sir. From what I've seen, none of them have stepped outside their home since their arrival."

He pondered over the report before replying. "This could mean that Phantom still hasn't recovered from his skirmish with the Pyres."

"I don't think that is exactly the case, sir," his agent replied, "Before they left for their home, Phantom made one last appearance in Jump City. He and the Titan known as Raven rescued a young girl from a ghost and brought that girl back to the Titan's Tower."

"Interesting." The fact that Phantom was not out and about attracted his attention. Before he could utter an order, however, a voice called from the door on the right side of the wall.

"Cain?" a low, sultry voice beckoned to him, "Aren't you done in there, yet?"

"It'll only take another moment," he replied before focusing on the screen and his agent once again. "If anything unusual happens in Amity Park, I want to know about it. Keep an eye on Phantom."

"Yes, sir." The transmission ceased and the screen flickered out into stand-by mode.

"Oh, there you are, baby." She stood there, leaning slightly onto the doorframe that led to his bedroom. His silk bed sheets were hastily wrapped around her like a bath towel. Her blonde hair, which normally would have been in her signature bun, was now unfettered and untamed, splaying over her shoulders and 

framing her face. Saunting over to his desk, she let the sheets trail behind her.. As she reached her destination, the vixen proceeded to sit on his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and mashed her mouth on top of his. She kissed him passionately, almost as if she were trying to devour is very soul through his mouth. She finally released him, licking her lips in satisfaction. "I almost thought that I had scared you away."

"Are you underestimating me, Inessa?" he quipped in return. "It takes more than you to intimidate me."

"Oh, really?" Inessa's lips curved into a devious smile. "I must not have been trying hard enough." She regarded him, passing her fingers through his hair teasingly. "So, what call was so important that it had to interrupt our pleasure time?"

"Aren't you the curious one? Well, if you must know, it was just a status update of our most recent… objective."

His description brought an even wider smirk to her face. "The Phantom boy? When are we going to acquire him, anyway?"

"Give it time, Inessa," Cain replied. "You know I only want the best for our little collection. Phantom is going to have to prove himself before we can make a move."

"You know how much I hate waiting, baby."

It was Cain's turn to grin as he watched her pout like a child that had been denied her toy. "Be patient. Once Phantom passes are little test, he'll be ours for the taking. You can poke and prod him all you want."

"I'll have you know that I do not prod my subjects. I would, however, love to know the secret to that boy. His genetic makeup alone would be marvelous to look at."

"You'll get your chance soon enough."

Inessa's eyebrows furrowed in faux anger, though her lips were still curled up in a smile, "I'm only taking your word for it because it's you, Cain. That doesn't mean there won't be any consequences for making me wait." She shimmied herself of his lap, walking back towards his bedroom door. "I'm going to make you work very hard tonight. Very." As she walked, the silk sheet she had been wearing slipped off, revealing her backside. Whether it was by accident or by her hand, he wasn't sure, but he couldn't keep his eyes away as she passed through the doorway and closed the door behind her.

DPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDP

"And this is the guest room." Danny waived his arm at the basic living quarters. Night time had fallen over Amity Park and the Fenton clan was on its way to bed. Danny, who had finally convinced his parents that he was feeling better, had taken it upon himself to show his girlfriend to where she would be sleeping during her stay. "It's not much, but it's roomy." He watched closely as Raven's eyes surveyed the area.

"It's fine," she replied as she ventured further and sat down on the bed. She placed hand on the surface, examining the cushiness. "It'll do." Her eyes wandered around the room again, though it seemed she looked everywhere but at Danny; a point that he was not unaware of.

"Uh, Raven?" His voice caught her attention, though she still was avoiding his gaze, "Is everything okay?" He took a seat besides her, causing the sorceress to tense up.

"I'm just tired, that's all," she said, dismissing his concern. "It's been a long day."

"Are you sure? Because it's like you were somewhere else today."

"Really, I'm…" She turned to him as she uttered her denial and stopped as she spotted the concern in his electric blue eyes. Raven found she couldn't continue her rebuttal and sighed sadly. "Do you think it was a good idea to come to Amity Park?"

"Of course it was!" he exclaimed, "What makes you think it wasn't?"

"It's just that…" she struggled to find the right words before proceeding. "… It just feels like I'm an outsider; like I'm just getting in the way."

"This is about Sam and Tucker, isn't it?" The response to his query was a simple nod. "Listen, I'm sorry about that. Sam and Tucker… they can a little bit overprotective sometimes. They just need some time to adjust to us, that's all. It's nothing that you did."

"I don't want to cause you any problems, that's all. You've been friends with them longer and I don't want to feel like I'm intruding…"

"Rae, you aren't intruding on anything." He reached out and took her hand. "I meant what I said to them; you're just as important to me as they are. I want you to be here." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm glad you came; you being here means a lot to me."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." He used his hand to gently lift her chin and then leaned in for a short but tender kiss. "Like you said before, this is just something we'll need to work on. This whole deal is new to everyone, us included. We just need time to adjust, that's all." His lips dove in for another kiss, though this one was more longing than the last. Raven, to her credit, replied candidly with a desire-filled kiss of her own. They separated and blue orbs stared into violet.

"I really did miss you," Danny stated sincerely.

"I could tell," Raven quipped. "I missed you, too." All their worries, all their concerns seemed to just melt away as they got lost in each other's stares.

"I…I should get going," Danny finally managed to utter. "We'll talk later, ok?"

"Goodnight," she stated coolly, although her insides were anything but. Even as Danny walked out of the room, her heart was still beating rapidly from their last kiss. Not even his kisses could completely chase away her doubts, though.

* * *

**AN: Special thanks to both Em Phantom and Cordria for their help for grammar and flow. Next chapter, I'll be trying a few new things, suggested by Cordria, so keep your eyes peeled.**


	9. Chapter 8: Bittersweet Reunions

**Author's Notes: I am so sorry. I did it to you guys again: I made you wait. I'm so sorry about this. I meant for this to come out sooner, but things just happened and I sorta/ kinda forgot about the chapter. I hope you enjoy this one. As a gift to appease my fans, at the end of the chapter, l let you in on a few secrets of my Oc's.**

**Special thanks to Cordria for betareading. She is the bomb, as they say on the street.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Bittersweet Reunions

Maddie Fenton howled in frustration for the umpteenth time that morning. She leaned back in her chair, her fingers messaging the bridge of her nose as her eyes took a break from staring at the data that displayed on her screen. She had been looking over the figures her family had collected the day before and so far she felt overwhelmed. In Jump City, she had thought it was just a lack of information that kept them away from a cure for Danielle. Now, it seemed like they had too much information. She literally didn't know where to start looking.

True, she found it utterly fascinating to see how her son's transformation looked like up close. She still wasn't used to it; seeing the Danny she knew and love disappear and being replaced by Phantom, someone she, up until now, only knew as a nuisance. The scientific side of her was working overdrive now that she could finally seeing the raw data: the change in temperature, the modulation of ectoplasmic energy levels and frequencies. To put it bluntly, she was giddy to see up close what made a human/ghost hybrid tick.

Of course, her motherly side would kick in to bring back common sense. Sure, this was probably the scientific find of the century, but none of it would matter if she let that little sweetheart die. In the short time she had known her, Danielle seemed to find a place in the woman's heart and latched onto it tightly. Those innocent blue eyes reminded her so much of Danny when she was her age. This wasn't for scientific glory or the pursuit of knowledge: this was to save a life. That sobering thought kept her curiosity in check. It was true that she needed to learn all she could about Danny in order to save Danielle, but getting lost in the research would take far too much time. And time wasn't something they had left.

"Maddie?" Jack's lumbering form could be heard descending the stairs down to the lab. "Mads, what are you doing down here so early?" Poor Jack had gone searching for his wife after waking up to find her side of the bed to be noticeably absent.

Maddie grimaced guiltily. "I'm sorry, Jack. I just couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd have a first look at what we recorded yesterday."

The ghost hunter eyed his wife worriedly. "You hardly got any sleep yesterday, honey-bun."

"I know Jack; it's just that I can't help it. Every time I closed my eyes last night, all I could see was her face."

Jack remained silent, though his face had a thoughtful expression, as if he knew exactly what she felt.

"Jack, I wanted to ask you something." Maddie eyes seemed to plead with Jack for his honest opinion. "I was wondering… have you ever thought about … having another child?" She regretted uttering the query even as it left her lips. She hated herself for launching such a pregnant topic at her unsuspecting husband. Nevertheless, it was one her curiosity would not let go lightly. It had been a long time since she thought of increasing their family. After the birth of Danny, both she and Jack seemed content. Their careers as paranormal investigators had also kept them busy and happy with their lives. Even with that, somewhere in the back of her mind, Maddie felt that she wanted more.

The wait for a response was becoming agonizing. She couldn't read the expression on her husband's face; that is, it would have been a little bit easier to read if could turn to face him. Instead, the keyboard on the desk suddenly became a work of art that needed further study and admiration. This went on for a few moments before she couldn't stand the hush. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have sprung that on you, but ever since Danielle came into the picture, well…" She hesitated, not even sure of what she was going to say next. "…I was thinking that maybe, after all of this is through, that maybe we could… adopt her?"

She kicked herself mentally once again. What was she thinking, just saying that? Maybe the lack of sleep was affecting her more than she cared to admit. Why wasn't he saying anything? Maybe he was too much in shock? Or was it that he thought she had just lost her mind, just like she was suspecting of herself.

"You too?" Jack uttered in surprise. "I was sort of thinking the same thing…"

"You… you were?!" Jack's words had caught Maddie off guard. "Jack, you really want to adopt her?"

"Of course!" he boasted. "The little scamp is cute as a button and is full of pep. Not only that, it'll be another person I can babble on and on about ghosts! And besides, she's practically family already." Before Jack knew it, he found himself wrapped in a hug initiated by his wife.

"Oh Jack, thank you!" she cried out in near tears. "You don't know how much this means to me!" Her gratitude was followed by a trail of kisses that caused the grown man to blush. Detaching herself from him, she took another look at the computer screen, her determination now ignited. "That settles it. We're going to save her no matter what."

"Yes Ma'am!" Jack declared as he watched her get back to work. "Man, that's hot," he whispered in a quieter tone.

"Now where to start," she asked to herself. She just knew that the answer was there, somewhere.

Meanwhile, Jack had activated a computer screen of his own, eager to help his wife with shifting through yesterday's findings. He decided to have a look at the fluctuation in the spectral wavelengths to see if he could find anything useful. The moment her displayed that file, something seemed to click in his head. "Mads?" he called out.

"What is it, Jack?" she replied. She took a peak over his shoulder to get a look at what he was pointing at.

"Does this wavelength look… familiar to you? I could swear I've seen it somewhere."

"I really can't say I have, dear," Maddie squinted. "I've seen so much that it's all a blur to me."

Instead of elaborating further, Jack's focus seemed to be stolen by the graph on the computer monitor. His eyes were hard and serious, something that was rare for him, except in cases where there was a problem that simply stumped him. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he shot like a rocket from his seat.

"Jack?" Maddie asked as he made a beeline towards one of their bookshelves. "Jack, what's going on? Did you find something?"

He remained silent, as if her words never reached his ears. The ghost hunter began to rummage through notebooks, many of which had important calculations the couple had made in their early years of ghost hunting. Many of them dated back to when they were in college and their failed portal experiment. "Where is that thing?" he muttered to himself as he continued to delve through almost randomly. "Aha!" he cried out as he pulled out a large rolled up sheet of paper.

He quickly cleared off a table, sending bits and doodads scattering to the floor. She spread out the sheet and pointed at some of the calculations scribbled on there. He then pointed at a diagram drawn underneath. His finger traced the lines of the waveform. He then turned back towards the readings they obtained from Danny. Once again, his eyes began to twinkle. "Maddie, come look at this!"

"What is it?" She took a quick look at schematics he was looking at. "Aren't those are calculations for the ghost portal? What do they have to do with anything?"

"The spectral frequency we used for the portal," he pointed out. "Doesn't it look familiar?"

Heeding her husband's suggestion, she had a second look. Like her husband, she alternated from the paper to the screen and gasped as it dawned on her. "They're the same."

"Yup!" Jack proclaimed proudly.

"Of course! Danny got his powers from the portal, so it would make sense that there would be residuals of the portal's signature." Typing furiously on the keyboard, she pulled up one of the other scans they performed that day and superimposed it upon the current one they were looking at. "It's the same here, too. Jack, I think this is it. It has to be." Smiling in relief, Maddie gave her husband a full kiss on the lips, causing him to fluster.

"Aww, shucks, Maddie. Just doing my job."

Composing herself, Maddie returned to her seat. "It's a start, at least. If what Danny told us was true, this should be the key to stabilizing Danielle permanently. Jack, we're going to need a full analysis of this. "

"On it." He took a seat next to hers and began to get to work, rest nothing more than an afterthought now.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Blasted watch."

He was late. Again. Anyone who knew Julian Marcus for even a short amount of time would know that if there was one thing they could count on, it was him being late. During his time as a professor in England, students and teachers alike found his inability to arrive on time for anything to be quite amusing. It never mattered if he left home early; somehow or another, he constantly ended up being delayed. The sorcerer, whether due to pride or just plain stubbornness, would never find fault with himself for his constant tardiness. Instead, he would lay blame upon his pocket watch, an heirloom passed down his family for generations. You could often find him mumbling out his frustration for the time piece, which he always suspected was somehow cursed. He, of course, could never prove this and being a practitioner of magic, could never find any mystical causes of his lack of punctuality.

That morning, Julian found himself once again running late, as he traveled down the halls of his place of employment. It sure didn't help that the halls all looked the same, making the trek even more complicated. Swearing under his breath, he quickened his step, hoping that he'd make in time. He had an important 

meeting to attend that morning, though that wasn't exactly where he was headed. Intending on seeing Valara before the meeting, Julian had left his room early that morning, giving himself plenty of time to see how she was doing and arrive on time. Unfortunately for him, the 'curse' seemed to be in full force today. His quicksteps turned into a sprint as he hastened to his intended destination.

"Julian."

The sound of his name being called stopped him dead in his tracks. The moment the sound reached his ears, he recognized the voice instantly. Turning to the speaker, Julian allowed his eyes to confirm his suspicions: standing not too far away was Abel Cain, his employer. He noted that Cain was in his usual apparel: an expensive black suit adorned his body, a stark contrast to the simple garb Julian was accustomed to. The executive's hair was greased back in his usual hair style, his jet black hair gleaming in the artificial light. The most noticeable feature was the smug smile that always seemed to garnish his face.

"Mr. Cain," Julian finally answered, showing no signs of weakness. Dealing with Cain was always like entering the cage of a wild animal. If you gave a brave front, you would come out of it more or less unscathed; but show one shred of fear and he would mercilessly attack without fail. Cain was the kind of man who accustomed to being the alpha male.

The executive's smirk grew into a full on grin. "Julian, there's no need to be so formal. We've known each other for how long? Almost eighteen years? I even brought you into the old order."

"That you did, Abe," Julian replied. Back when he was a college professor, it was Cain who invited him to the order and even took the initiative to train him in magic and the black arts.

"It seems like you were in a hurry to get somewhere, Julian. I've never known you to be so… eager to get to one of our meetings."

The Englishman smiled sheepishly in response. "Oh really? I didn't even notice I was going so fast. Well, you know me. I was just trying to be on time for once."

Looking amused by his fellow sorcerer's statement, the corner of Cain's smile twitched slightly. "It would help if you were going the right way. The conference room is in the other direction. The way you were going leads to the infirmary. Trying to check in on a special guest, were we?"

To his credit, Julian never let his face falter once, even after getting caught. It was a talent that Cain had; he always had a way of seeing through anything. Whether it was magic or just keen senses after years in the business world, no one knew.

"How is Ms. Pyre doing? Inessa told me she woke up from her coma recently." The supervisor eyed his subordinate for a response.

Resisting the urge to let his dislike of the doctor take over, Julian responded. "She did, did she? What else had the 'good' Dr. Maternova told you?"

"You two still don't get along, hmm?" He said with a knowing laugh. "Regardless of that, I'm glad to hear that she is doing well. I am curious on how much she remembers of her experience..."

"Not much, I'm afraid. And frankly, I think that's a good thing. I doubt she would want to remember."

"Unfortunately, she may have to recall her ordeal," Cain responded. "She may have information that we need to understand Phantom."

Julian tried to keep his face neutral, though even knew he wasn't doing a good job. "I understand that what she may know is crucial for little plans all that; but let me make one thing clear. Lara's my responsibility. I'm not going to make her relive any of that, not if I can help it. I promised her dear old Dad that I'd protect her and when old Jules makes a promise, he keeps it."

"Julian, please, calm down. Of course, her safety will be our top priority. You don't have to worry about a thing in that regard." His words seemed to work their magic and calmed down the agitated Briton. "I understand that this is hard for both of you. You have to understand, however, that we have deadlines to keep."

"Yeah, Yeah, I know. You and your deadlines."

A dark chuckle erupted from Cain. "Anyway, I've been quite busy lately, but I was thinking I might give her a visit myself. In honor of her father, of course."

"Of course," Julian repeated sarcastically. He could see the lust in his superior's eyes. "I'm sure this'll have nothing to do with trying to recruit her."

Cain replied with a smile, "Touché. You know me too well, Julian. You do have to admit that she's like her father, in more ways than one."

"Which is why I would like that you don't fill her mind with the same nonsense you filled her father's." The look of defiance that was on his face moments before returned with a vengeance.

"Don't you think that's her choice?"

"And when she is old enough to decide, she'll get the chance too. As for now, the lass is still a wee babe and quite impressionable. I don't want her walking the same path her father and I have."

Julian watched as Cain eyed him carefully, like a lion eying someone who tried to deny him of a meal. Laughter suddenly erupted from the executive's lips, breaking the tense atmosphere and catching Julian off guard.

"This is why I like you, Julian. You are never afraid to speak your mind." Turning away from his subordinate, he continued, "Don't be too late for the meeting after your little visit. There are still things we need to discuss."

Julian turned and continued his journey. Cain was right about one thing: he did know his boss very well. He was positive now that Cain now had his eye on Valara, though for a larger reason than he let on. The last thing he was going to do was let her be lured in the sordid world he now lived in. He wasn't sure how but one way or another, he was going to keep her safe.

ACACACACACACACACACACAC

As Cain watched Julian depart, he let his fingers once again run through his hair. He had no doubt that Xanthus's daughter would become a vital part of their upcoming plans. What part she would play, however, was still up in the air. Julian was beginning to become a problem, however. The Englishman had been a valuable asset in the past, but was becoming more and more defiant, especially with the arrival of Ms. Pyre. As much of a genius as he was, it might come to a point where his services would become disposable. It would be a shame, but that's business.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Morning sleepyhead," Jazz greeted cheerfully as she entered Danielle's room. The Fenton home had two vacant rooms that they used for when guests arrived. Raven and Danielle had each been given a room for 

the night. "I hope you don't mind, but we kind of moved you up here after you dozed off yesterday. I'm sure this room is a lot better than the lab."

"That's fine," the younger girl replied, taking in her surroundings. "Is… is Danny here?"

"Yeah, he's here. We arrived yesterday, but then you were already resting." Jazz watched as a small smile appeared on the girl's face at the confirmation of her cousin's arrival. "Anyway, I brought in some breakfast for you. Raven had to make it since Mom and Dad are busy in the lab."

The young halfa bore a somber expression as she took in this news. "Everybody seems to be working so hard… just for me."

"Of course we are!" Jazz replied with a smile, "If Danny cares about then that's good enough for us. Besides…" Her self-restraint waning, Jazz's hand lighted pinched the Dani's cheek. "You're just so darn cute."

"Ow! Hey!" Danielle rubbed her now sore cheek as Jazz let out a small giggle.

"To tell you the truth, I always wanted a little sister like you. Having a little brother like Danny is fine at all but I've always wanted someone I could do girl stuff with."

The redhead's comments caused Danielle to blush with embarrassment. "You really think I'd make a good little sister?"

"Of course you would! Actually, I think Danny thinks of you that way already, by the looks of things. Then again, that's how Danny always is."

Danielle gave Jazz a weak smile. "I hope I'm around long enough to have a big sister like you…"

"Danielle, don't talk like that," Jazz chastised, though in a tender tone, "In situations like these you have to stay positive. I'm sure everything will turn out alright. As a matter of fact, Mom and Dad seemed to be particularly excited about something when I checked up on them this morning, so I'm sure they're close to finding a cure for you."

The moment between the two was interrupted by a knock on the door. A moment later, Danny peeked his head in. "Hey there, kiddo."

"Danny!" Her face brightened considerable. "You're here!"

"Of course I am, silly. I promised I would, didn't I?" He playfully ruffled her hair. "How are you holding up, Dani?"

"I'm fine, I guess," the younger halfa answered. "I don't like being stuck here in bed all the time, though."

Grinning widely, Danny responded, "Trust me, I know the feeling. I just spent two weeks in bed after that last big battle in Jump City. Don't you worry, though; I'm sure you'll be out of bed in no time." He turned to his older sister. "I'm going downstairs to get some grub, Jazz. Want me to get you anything?"

"I've already eaten, so don't worry about it." Jazz's eyes began to sparkle. "Raven's downstairs making breakfast. I think she has something especially for you."

"Does she now?" Danny responded wistfully, ignoring his sister's playful tone. "Make sure Jazz doesn't bore you with her lecturing, alright, kiddo?"

"Hey!" Jazz's protest went unheard, however, as Danny had already left the room. A giggle soon erupted from Danielle, causing Jazz to follow suit.

"He really likes her, doesn't he?" the raven haired girl asked.

"That he does."

DPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDP

He eyed his prey vigilantly, careful not to make a single noise while he did so. The predator knew his approach was flawless. There was no way the prey would see or hear him coming. The prey was occupied with something at the stove, her back towards him. Slowly and cautiously, he made his advance, inching ever so slowly. She would never know what hit her. Soon, he was a mere few feet away. His anticipation was building up now, causing him to beam. He was so close he could almost taste her…

"Morning, Danny," Raven stated suddenly, not bothering to turn around.

Fading into view moments later, the ghost boy wore a defeated look. "How did you…"

"Sneaking up on an empath is not a good idea," she stated simply while she continued to cook.

"Oh really?" A playful grin returned on his face as he walked up behind her and placed his arms around her waist. Leaning in closely, he let his lips graze her cheek, educing a shiver to run through the sorceress.

"Messing with a cook while she is at the oven is also not a good idea." She made no move to stop him however.

"Jazz said you had surprise for me."

He spoke in a low tone into her ear, causing her to lose focus. She managed to gather her wits long enough to reply. "It's on the table."

"Thought my surprise was right here?" He kissed her cheek again, blurring her diminishing focus even further.

The smell of burning eggs broke Raven out of her reverie. A swift jab from her elbow quickly detangled Danny from her as she tried to save the meal. "Down boy," she ordered mischievously.

Pouting, the halfa decided to take a seat at the kitchen table, taking a fresh whiff of his 'surprise': a large stack of waffles, topped with strawberries and whip cream, scrambled eggs and bacon. "Mmm… this really looks good. Almost as good as the chef" Taking a bite, his eyes widened. "Tastes even better."

"Considering that breakfast is the only meal I know how to make, it better taste good," she replied as she scrapped the burnt remains of scrambled eggs into a trash can.

"Feeling better this morning?" Danny's concern shone through his voice.

Sitting next to him, Raven replied with a kiss. "A little. You seem to be doing better yourself."

"How can I stay depressed when I have your beautiful face to look at?"

Before she could reply, she was interrupted by the electronic bringing of a cell phone.

"Hold that thought." Danny quickly retrieved his cell and answered the call.

Raven found herself staring while he talked, a habit she indulged in more than she'd like to think. She marveled at how easily Danny seemed to just slip past the emotional defenses she had spent years to build 

up. He had a knack of catching her when she was most vulnerable, something that surprisingly enough, excited her. She wondered if Starfire went through the same thing when she started dating Robin.

"YES!" Danny howled as he got off the phone. Pumping his fist in the air, he elicited a smile from Raven.

"I take it that it was good news?"

"Hopefully it is," he began. "That was Tucker. He said that he and Sam wanted to meet me at the mall today, to discuss things between us."

Raven felt a burst of joy radiate from Danny's very being, causing her to smile. "That is good news."

"This is great news! Maybe things will finally get back to the way things were. Or at least close to it, anyway." His enthusiastic disposition suddenly stalled, as something crossed his mind.

"What's wrong?"

He replied hesitantly, "Are… you going to be okay with this? I mean leaving you here at home like this."

"I'll be fine here." She gave him a reassuring smile. "You need to go and spend some time with them if you want to rebuild your friendship. I'll be here, making sure no overly obsessive billionaires cause any trouble."

Raven's words eased his concern, though not entirely. Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Danny, I told you before that you didn't need to worry about me."

Danny closed the gap between the two and gave her a quick, yet tender kiss. "Have I ever told you that you're like the best girlfriend ever?"

"Not recently," she quipped.

"That's a mistake I need to rectify, then." He kissed her again, but this one was filled with a great deal more passion. Pulling away, he looked into her eyes. "You are the best girlfriend ever."

"I know," she replied knowingly.

"Are you sure going to be…"

Raven looked at him exasperatedly. "Just go already!"

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"I can't believe you dragged me over here so early in the morning," Sam grumbled. She and Tucker were sitting at a table at the food court of the Amity Park Mall. Her face mirrored her displeasure.

"First of all it's only after ten. Second of all, I'm the one that should be complaining here. I haven't had much sleep in the past few days." The techno geek stifled a yawn for emphasis. "But that's not the point. I have a perfectly good reason for calling you over here."

"I hope it's a better reason than the horror movie marathon excuse you gave me this morning."

Tucker waggled his eyebrows knowingly. "There is. I invited a special guest for our little get-together."

Her eyes widened at his response. "You didn't…" An affirming nod was sent her way. "I thought you said you weren't going to invite him?

"I lied."

Looking apprehensive, Sam began to fidget around her seat. "No. No way. I… I'm not ready to see him yet."

"What is your deal, Sam? Yesterday, you were even more excited to see him than I was."

"What's my deal?" she repeated, just barely subduing a surge of anger that swept through her. "He lied to us, Tucker."

Not backing down for a second, Tucker calmly countered, "He didn't lie. He didn't exactly tell us everything but…"

"It's the same thing," she interrupted. "Nothing's changed since last year. He keeps holding back on us."

"That's not fair, Sam. Not telling us about Raven isn't anything like what happened last year." Tucker sighed before he continued. "Danny said he was sorry. He's trying, Sam. He said so himself that he wanted our friendship to work. The least we can do is to make an effort ourselves."

Unable to find anything to say, Sam remained silent, though the look on her face showed that Tucker's words hit home.

"Sam! Tucker!"

Turning to the direction of the voice, they found Danny rushing towards their table. Feeling a sudden bout of shyness overtake her, Sam averted her eyes. Tucker gave her a sidelong and knowing glance.

"Glad I caught you guys." The raven haired teen breathed a sigh of relief. He then noticed what he had just walked into: Sam wasn't able to look him in the eye while Tucker's face was unreadable. "I wasn't late, was I?"

Tucker gave his old friend a large grin. "No, dude, you weren't late. As a matter of fact, you were right on time. Wasn't he, Sam?"

Sam only gave a curt nod. She wanted to give Tucker a piece of her mind, but felt too conflicted to utter a word.

"Listen, guys. About yesterday…" Danny began.

"If you're going to apologize, you don't have to, man," Tucker said, writing it off.

The halfa shook his head. "No, I need to say this. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Raven sooner. I should have been upfront about it. I really don't want this to get in the way of our friendship."

"We're cool, Danny." Tucker could tell that his friend was genuinely sincere with his apology.

An elbow hit tried and true into Sam's ribcage. Glaring daggers at Tuck, she nervously cleared her throat. "We're sorry too, Danny. I shouldn't have…" she hesitated for a moment. "… overreacted like I did." Her lap seemed to have caught her eye as she avoided his gaze. Sam suddenly let out a yelp of surprise as one of Danny's arms wrapped around her neck. Another gasp indicated that his other arm found its target and latched onto Tucker.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he repeated numerous times.

"Dude, we know you're happy, but we'll need to breathe eventually."

Grinning sheepishly, Danny disentangled himself from his friends. "Sorry about that." He didn't notice Sam turning away again, though this time she was trying frantically to hide the glow of her cheeks.

"So, how are things holding up at home?" Tucker queried.

Danny's face fell somewhat. "Well, good news is that it hasn't gotten any worse. Bad news is that it isn't any better, either. Dani's being a trooper about it, so that's a plus. And Mom and Dad are really working their butts off trying to cure her. I think everybody home has pretty much grown attached to her."

"At least there's some good news," Sam finally managed to say after recomposing herself. "I know we probably can't do much, but if there is anything we can do…"

"You guys have done plenty. Just knowing you're there is reassuring."

Tucker could no longer contain himself or the question that was just on the tip of his tongue. "So, how does it feel?"

Danny simply blinked for a few moments before responding. "How does what feel?"

"You know what I mean… being a big time you-know-what."

"Ahh. You mean 'that'." He laughed nervously. "Really, it's not really a big deal."

"It's a big deal. A humongous deal. Danny, you're one of the big dogs now. The buzz on the internet alone is huge."

Sam gave Tucker an indignant glare. "Tucker, you're blowing this way out of proportion. You're making it sound like Danny wasn't a hero before this whole thing happened."

"Hey, I'm not saying that," he retorted, holding his hands up defensively. "Danny's done a lot for Amity Park, but he was an unknown outside the state, tops. Now he's pretty much global."

"I haven't even had a chance to worry about being famous or anything like that. I'm finally free from the bed I've been stuck in for two weeks and then this thing with Dani happened. I haven't even had a chance to take Rae on a date."

"First of all, Rae?" Tucker asked inquiringly.

Danny blushed slightly. "It's what I call her."

Tucker filed that fact mentally for later blackmailing purposes. "Second of all, you, Mr. Old Fashion, haven't gone out with her yet?"

"No time, remember?" he sighed loudly. "I'm not sure there'll ever be time, frankly."

"What do you mean? Just take her on a date around town. That's what secret identities are for, right?"

The halfa pursed his lips. "Actually, I don't think she has one."

Both Sam and Tucker looked back at him dumbfounded.

"They do things different over there. The Ti… those guys are pretty much in 'uniform' twenty-four/ seven. I think the only one of them who even has a secret a secret identity is Rob, but it's pretty much a moot point since he never took his mask off. Ever."

"Weird and a little bit creepy," Tucker commented. "Alright, so why doesn't Danny Phantom take her out on a date?"

Danny sighed again. "Think about what you just said, Tuck. Danny Phantom: the same Danny Phantom the media is all abuzz about. The news guys over here are going gaga over the fact that 'he' helped the Titans. What happens when they find out that 'he's' dating? There would be media frenzy. And Danny Fenton would have even more trouble if people found out he was dating a superhero."

"Ouch," was all that Tucker could muster. "Man, it sounds rough, dude."

"I know. I really want to take her out on a date, but it pretty much seems impossible at the moment."

Taking a deep breath, Sam prepared herself to interject herself into the conversation. The Goth had stayed out of the exchange between the two, largely because of the discomfort she felt about the discussion matter. 

She was quite proud of Danny's accomplishments as a super hero, but she couldn't help but feel somewhat guarded. She still felt that sooner or later, Danny would eventually leave her and Tucker for the Titans, despite his assertion to the contrary.

She felt even more sensitive when talk of Raven began. Sam wanted to be happy that Danny found someone he liked, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel relief to find that there were problems this early on in the relationship. She felt guilty for thinking such a thing; Danny was her friend and she was happy when he was happy. But she couldn't help but see Raven as the enemy. Not only was Raven the most likely of the Titans to separate them from Danny, but she had already succeeded in stealing his heart. Despite that, Sam felt that now was the time to speak up.

"Well, that's why we're here," she stated, breaking the silence that had fallen in result of Danny's bad fate. "Friends are there to help each other take our minds off of life. And nothing occupies your mind more than six plus hours of horror movie mayhem."

"Sam's right, Danny," Tucker agreed. "Stick with us and we'll rot your brain in no time at all."

Danny couldn't help but chuckle. "Gee thanks…" A puff of blue mist erupted from his mouth. "Oh, great. They didn't waste any time, did they?"

"A ghost?" Tucker asked.

Closing his eyes, he began to focus. "Now where are you?" His friends looked at him in confusion. "Ahh, there we go. Gah, of all the ghosts to give me grief today."

"How do you know who it…?" Sam's question was interrupted by a reverberating roar. A large creature, entirely made out of meat, both raw and cooked, emerged from one of the food court's restaurants. It bellowed loudly.

"Looks like teenage mind rotting is going to have to wait, guys…"

* * *

**AN: Ok, here are some of my notes:**

**Abel Cain: the main bad guy in this fic. If you couldn't tell, his name is derived from the first two sons of Adam in the bible, Cain and Abel. I refer to him as Cain more often cause, well, he's evil :p. He's sort of like Vlad, but with the evilness factor multiplies by a hundred. I wonder if they'll meet…**

**Dr. Inessa Maternova: Another baddy. The good doctor likes dissecting things. Her name was pretty hard to create: her first name is Russian for 'pure'. Her last name, if I followed the of Russian surnames correctly, means 'mother', so her full name means 'pure mother'. As the previous chapter has shown, she is anything but pure. The mother part will play in later chapters.**


	10. Chapter 9: Like Old Times

**Author's Notes: I am so late again, aren't I? I'm sorry, my readers and fans. I've been struggling with some major writer's block recently. Luckily I managed to pull this one out of my creative juices for you to enjoy.**

**Now, a few things: first off I know I haven't been real good about replying to reviews. I am terribly sorry about this and will try to correct this. I really, really, REALLY appreciate what you guys say about my stories, both good and bad. I'll try to reply to every one of the reviews you send me starting with this chapter.**

**With that, I want to hear from you. Write to me, let me know what you think.**

* * *

Lost and Found Chapter 9: Like Old Times

Moments after the bellow of the beast sounded, the entire mall was bathed in silence. That however did not last long; like a rippling wave on a calm lake, fear and chaos spread throughout the crowd. Screams filled the air as shoppers and patrons scurried away from impending danger. The only ones undaunted amidst the confusion were three teens, who were still seated at their table. They watched as the creature continued its rampage, making a beeline for the next restaurant.

"Just like the good old days," Danny commented as he surveyed the area. Grinning widely, he turned to his friends, Sam and Tucker, both of whom mirrored his smile. "Think you're up to it, Team Phantom?"

Tucker held up Fenton thermos, which he has just retrieved from his book bag. "We're ready whenever you are, Danny."

"You're clear, Danny," Sam stated as she kept a look out. Luckily for them, people were so caught up in pandemonium that it provided much needed cover.

Nodding, Danny quickly ducked under the table. A light flashed for a brief moment, a sign that Danny Fenton was now gone. Seconds later, Danny Phantom rose from the floor several feet away. He floated cautiously towards the behemoth, who hadn't yet noticed his presence. "Hey, Lunch Lady!" He fired a single ectoblast at the creature. "What's on the menu?"

His attack hit the beast square in the chest, leaving a sizeable hole in its wake. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to faze the ghost monster one bit; it only served to catch its attention. The hole in its chest simply closed up until it looked like it never existed. Sighting the ghost boy, the creature lunged at him. Its hand suddenly detached from the wrist, flying straight towards Danny.

Years of training and ghost fighting kicked in as Danny deftly dodged the projectile. "You weren't aiming at me, were you?" he asked cheekily.

Roaring in frustration, the monster lumbered forward, closing the gap between the two. Wisely keeping his distance, Danny avoided the ghost's attempts at attacking him. This only served to enrage it even more. Stopping its advance, the creature suddenly threw its arms back and its abdomen forward, launching a glob of meat at the snow-haired hero.

"Hey!" Danny cried half surprised. Realizing he wasn't going to be able to dodge, he went intangible, allowing the projectile to pass right though him. "Sorry, not hungry right now. How about I freeze that for later?" The halfa's hands began to glow a brilliant blue as he readied an attack. Thrusting his arm forward, he let loose a blast of azure colored ectoplasm.

The beast held out its arm in an attempt to shield itself from the attack. What it didn't count on was its arm being suddenly frozen solid. The sudden weight of the permafrost caused the appendage to break off from the shoulder and shatter into pieces as it hit the ground. Even more furious than ever, the abomination of meat charged at its adversary. Its rage served to be its downfall as another blast hit it in the chest, stopping it dead in its tracks.

"Danny!" Tucker called as he and Sam made their way to their ghostly friend. "Dude, that was awesome. Were those your new powers?"

"That was too easy," Danny murmured grimly, ignoring Tucker's praise. Remaining afloat, the halfa surveyed the area cautiously for any more attacks. His suspicions were justified as another meat creature attacked, though this one was smaller than the last. It leapt from its hiding spot from the rafters of the mall, latching itself onto Danny, catching the ghost boy by surprise. Before he realized what was going on, both he and the creature phased through the floor to the lower level of the mall.

"Danny!" both Sam and Tucker cried as they watched helplessly. Sam's face suddenly changed from a look of desperation to that of determination. She quickly grabbed Tucker's hand and raced to the latest escalator.

"Come on, Tuck," she proclaimed, "We have to go help him!"

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Phantom finally made contact with solid ground, which knocked the wind right out of him. Catching his breath, he found that his arms were firmly pinned to his sides, thanks to the special guest that had wrapped itself around him. He struggled in vain to break free, but despite its size, the ghostly monster would not release him.

"Let go!" he cried, activating his ice powers once again and creating an aura around his body. With the creature now iced and brittle, Danny gave a grunt as he forced himself free, shattering his captor. "I'm really beginning to see why Sam is a vegetarian," he quipped to himself. With his life no longer in danger, he finally took in his surroundings. The boxes around him indicated he was in a storage room, most likely for one of the stores on the first level. Knowing that his friends were probably worried sick now, he began to rise to the ceiling.

"Hello, dear," A voice sounded, catching the halfa's attention and ceasing his ascent. Fading into view, the owner of the voice revealed herself: a rather burly looking ghost wearing a cafeteria uniform, complete with apron, yellow gloves, and hair net. This ghost, known to Danny and his friends as the Lunch Lady, eyed the halfa menacingly. She reached for something behind her, causing Phantom to jump back and go into a defensive pose. Suddenly, her snarling face turned into an almost loving grin. "Cookie?" she asked as a tray of steaming hot chocolate chip cookies appeared out of nowhere.

Pausing only for a moment, Danny hastily shook his head. "Alright. Enough fooling around," he stated, trying to sound authoritative. "What the heck is going on around here?"

"I believe I can answer your question, ghost child," another voice moaned, making itself known.

Danny turned to face the newcomer and gasped. The Box Ghost, a long time nuisance of his, stood before him; or at least what was left of him. The first thing that the hero noticed was that the normally pudgy specter was perceptibly thinner than usual. It wasn't the only thing that was different, however. A scar ran from his forehead to his cheek and straight through his left eye, which was covered by an eye patch. His right hand was no more; nothing but a bandaged stump remained. With his remaining eye, the Box Ghost gazed sadly at the halfa, merely a shell of his former self.

"Greeting, ghost child," he began. "I, the Box Ghost, am sorry for tricking you into coming here, but we know that you would not meet us otherwise."

Danny remained silent, mainly because he didn't know what to make of what he was looking at. Finally, he let the most vocal question of his mind leak out. "Wha-what happened to you?"

"That is the reason why I have brought you here." A fit of coughing suddenly overtook the ghost, causing his frail body top go into spasms.

The Lunch Lady was immediately at his side, providing him much need support. "Boxy, are you going to be alright?"

"I, the Box Ghost, shall be fine, my little pork chop." He slipped his good hand under her chin and smiled lovingly.

Danny could only stare speechlessly at the tender moment. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised. Thanks to Clockwork and the whole situation with his future self, Danny knew that not only was it possible that these two would be together, but they would eventually have a daughter as well. Even with that information in hand, seeing them like this was quite bizarre, to say the least. His thoughts of that future swiftly caused a chill to run up his spine as he realized something. The Box Ghost of that time had also lost an eye and a hand, which he had always attributed as being the handiwork of his future evil self. Did HE do this… again?

"As I was saying, I only wish to talk, Phantom. As a matter of fact, we wanted to thank you."

It took a few moments for the teen hero to process what the ghost had stated. "You want to… thank me?"

The Box Ghost nodded. "Yes. You see, my current condition is a result of my failure in service of my previous masters."

"You mean the Pyres," Danny replied, remembering the Titan's description of a malevolent looking Box Ghost tearing up a warehouse in search of something.

"Yes. I failed the master and for that, I paid a price. Many in the Ghost Zone were forced into servitude by the Pyres and made to do things we were not proud of." The Box Ghost looked down, a look of shame and remorse flashing on his face. "That is why we wish to thank you. When you defeated them, you freed all of us from their fiery grasps."

The ghost boy simply shook his head. "Technically, all I did was defeat Valara. She was the one who got rid of her father. And even with that, I barely stopped her."

"Even so, we all owe you a debt of gratitude."

Before Danny could reply, one of the doors to the storage room slammed open. Brandishing an ectoblaster, an alert Sam marched in. Right behind her was Tucker, whose focus was almost entirely his PDA. Sam was the first to notice Danny and the two ghosts that accompanied him. Her blaster pointed immediately at the two specters.

"Sam, Danny's definitely here," Tucker said as he analyzed the device. Looking up, he finally noticed what was going on. "Oh."

Sensing that the situation was going to go sour, Danny imposed himself in front of his friends. "Sam, hold on! Everything is cool." The confidence of his voice changed into uncertainty. "I think."

Sam's weapon stayed raised and her face remained determined. "You probably haven't noticed, Danny, but you have…" she paused as she took a second look at the scene in front of her. "The Box Ghost… and the Lunch Lady? Together?" The grip she had on her weapon waivered as her face filled with confusion.

"Dude, what happened to you?" Tucker asked, pointing towards the Box Ghost rather candidly.

"Guys, I'll explain later," Danny interrupted before a wave of questions erupted from his two friends. He turned back to the two ghosts. "I guess I should say 'you're welcome', even though I don't think I did much." Scratching the back of his neck nervously, a thought occurred to him. "Does this mean you're going to stop bothering me now?"

The wounded specter responded in his normal, overdramatic flair. "The Box Ghost does not promise anything!" His outburst caused him to cough violently again. Once his fit subsided, he continued in a softer tone. "Although, even I am not above owing a favor. Once I am well again, just ask and I, the Box Ghost, shall grant you request. Farewell, ghost boy and friends. And beware!" And with that, the Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady vanished.

The moment of silence at their departure did not last too long. "Ok, now I'm both creeped out and confused," Tucker stated in bewilderment. Sam simply glared at Danny, waiting for him to clarify.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"So they went to all that trouble, just to thank you?" Sam asked after Danny's account of his eerie encounter. The trio had regrouped outside one of the shops at the bottom floor, making their way towards the movie theatre. The mall had rather quickly livened up again, a testament to the normalcy ghost attacks now were in Amity Park.

"Trust me, I'm as wierded out as you guys are," Danny replied. "I mean, they weren't even that grateful when I defeated Pariah Dark."

"Speaking of weird, Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady? Major eww factor." Tucker chimed in, still unsettled by the thought.

Danny chuckled at his friend's reaction. "It's not like it was that big of a stretch. Just because the whole 'me turning evil' thing didn't happen, doesn't mean it wasn't out of the realm of possibility."

"Even though it was sort of gross, in some sick, twisted way, it was actually kind of cute," Sam mentioned

The boys stopped to an abrupt halt and stared slack jawed at Goth.

"What? It was!" She was met by stifled laughter. "Fine then. Forget I said anything."

Unable to contain themselves, the boys began to laugh uncontrollably now.

Glaring at the two, Sam continued to walk to their destination. She could hear them following her, both boys voicing apologies in between snickers. Although she continued to stomp away angrily, internally, the goth was content. The three being together like this felt like the past year had never happened. The scene was reminiscent of so many times the trio had spent together. All the tension that seemed to have filled the air when Danny first arrived seemed to just disappear. And best of all, Danny was actually smiling. It had been ages since she last saw him sport a grin. Sam had forgotten how… mesmerizing it was.

"Danny?"

The sound of Tucker's voice broke her out of her trance. Curious to what was going on, she turned to find Danny had stopped in front of one of the store fronts. His attention was solely fixed on the glass display.

"Dude, are you ok?" Tucker asked again, trying to get his friend's attention.

Finally reacting to Tucker's prodding, Danny's focus spun to his friend. "Wha-what?"

"Dude, you were spacing out on us," the techno geek pointed out. "Are you ok?"

"Me? I'm totally fine." Danny scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, telling them otherwise.

Tucker's face morphed into a devious grin. "Why did you stop in front of a jewelry store then?"

Stiffening visibly, the ghost boy's eyes darted between his two friends. "It's nothing, really. I just had a gift idea, that's all."

Seeing his chance for a little torture, Tucker continued to pry. "This gift wouldn't happen to be for a certain super powered girlfriend, would it?"

Tucker's question caused Danny's face to flush nervously, thus confirming the techno geek's insinuation. "Well, you see, its Rae's birthday," Danny began anxiously, "Or rather it was her birthday, a few weeks ago, right before my family showed up in Jump City. I know I probably shouldn't be worrying about it and she didn't even bother to mention it to me, I think I want to get her something, mainly because she's been a big help with helping and protecting Dani and coming here with us back to Amity and I'm not even sure what to get her and…" The need to breathe finally took its toll as Danny gasped for air after his considerably long outburst.

The moment the subjected shifted back towards Raven, Sam could feel her stomach tighten. She remained silent as Danny went on about his new girlfriend, though she felt the swell of an emotion that was becoming more and more common for her: jealously. She just couldn't help it; the way he was fixated on dark Titan aggravated Sam more than she cared to admit. Here she and Tucker were, trying to cheer him up and all Danny could talk about was **her**.

Sam desperately tried to swallow her envy and pride, as she watched Danny's troubled face. Whether or not he eventually left them, Danny was still their friend… was still her friend, and friends helped each other, even if it meant helping the enemy. Biting her lower lip, she took a deep breath and steeled herself for what she was about to do. She quickly grabbed Danny by the wrist and began dragging the confused halfa towards the store. "Come one. We don't have all day."

"Hey, wait," Danny asked in shock. "Where are we going?"

"Where does it look like?" she asked. "We're going to pick out something for your girlfriend, lover boy."

He stared back at her in stunned silence. "You're really going to help me?"

"Of course I am. I'm your friend, aren't I? I think she and I have close enough tastes and by the looks of it, you definitely need my help." She watched as Danny's face brightened, showing off the grin she had missed for a long time. Even though she knew she would regret it later, the look on Danny's face was well worth it.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Those effects were so totally fake," Danny declared as he walked through the Fenton household's front door. He and his friends had eventually gone to the movie marathon , though thanks to the detours earlier that day, they had ended up missing quite a bit. Even with that, the trio had made the most of it and had a great time, especially Danny. He had forgotten how much just hanging out had meant to him.

Sam sported a grin as she and Tucker followed him. "You have to admit, with everything we've gone through, some of those movies felt pretty tame."

"And yet Tucker was still squealing like a little baby during that one scene." The teen hero stifled a chuckle at his friend's expense.

Frowning at his friends, Tucker tried to defend himself, "I did not 'squeal'. That scene took me by surprise, that's all."

"Tuck, everyone in the theatre saw that coming a mile away," Sam teased. She was so wrapped up with tormenting Tucker that she didn't notice the obstruction on the floor until it was too late. Losing her balance, the goth girl began falling face first to the floor.

Danny, who had been closest to her, was able to grab her before she hit the ground. "Sam, are you alright?" he asked with unveiled concern.

The intensity of his icy blue eyes caused Sam's cheeks to redden. "I-I'm fine. You can let go now, Danny."

Realizing he still held her by the shoulders, Danny hastily set her upright and retracted his grip. "Oh, right. Sorry."

Attempting to hide her rosy cheeks, Sam averted her eyes. She turned to find that the Fenton's living room was now overrun with crates of various sizes, one of which was the cause of her fall. "At least we know what I tripped over."

"What the heck happened here?" Tucker asked curiously as he began inspecting one of the boxes.

Danny shrugged in response. "I really don't know. These definitely weren't here this morning." The halfa peered over the edge of one of the crates that were open, to find that it was already empty. "Probably has something to do with Dani." He directed his attention back to his friends. "Why don't I meet you guys downstairs? I have to go up to my room and put this way." He indicated the medium sized shopping bag that he currently held. Opting for the quick way up, Danny turned intangible and floated up to the ceiling.

"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Tucker stated the moment Danny was out of earshot. Sam gave him a confused stare. "Hanging out with Danny, I mean. You have to admit, it wasn't as bad as you thought it would be."

"Yeah, it was fine," she replied with her signature goth indifference.

Tucker scrutinized his friend with an uncertain eye. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Tucker. Jeez, you're starting to sound like my parents." The last thing Sam wanted was to discuss the constant roller coaster ride that was her emotions. "Let's just go downstairs and see what the Fentons are doing, alright?" Not waiting for a response, Sam's combat boots stomped their way to the basement entrance. Tucker followed her, silent concern firmly etched on his face.

The two made it down the stairs to find that the basement was quite busy. The lab, like the living room above, was strewn with various sized crates, as well as a number of pieces of technology. Tucker's eyes went wide with techno geeky delight and wonder as his mind could only guess at the purpose of each device. Amongst the equipment, members of the Fenton family were hard at work, mostly around a large mass of machinery, which seemed to be the center of all the chaos.

"Guys!" Jazz greeted cheerfully as she spotted her brother's friends. "How was you day? And where's Danny?"

"It was okay, I guess," Sam replied dryly. "Danny went up to his room to drop something off."

Jazz could pick up that Sam wasn't happy about something. "Did something happen?" Before Jazz could get a response, an overly enthusiastic Tucker decided to interrupt their conversation.

"Where did you get all this stuff?!" he asked passionately. "I haven't seen this much tech in one room in like…ever"

"You can thank Cyborg," Raven interrupted. The titan currently was currently handling a large piece of machinery, which was encased with her dark magic and was hovering a few feet off the ground. She let the device land safely onto the ground before she continued. "Cy used his connections with Star Labs to get everything that Mr. and Mrs. Fenton needed."

"Star Labs?!" Tucker looked like he was about faint. "THE Star Labs? The super top secret research and development company that specializes in highly advanced tech and science breakthroughs? You think Cyborg could get me some stuff from there?" Tucker was met with disbelieving stares from the three girls. "What? I just thought I'd ask."

Danny chose that moment to descend down the stairs. "Hey guys! What's…whoa." His reaction mirrored Tucker and Sam's from just moments before.

"There you are," Jazz exclaimed. "Come on. They want to talk to you." The red head nodded her head in the direction of her parents. "Mom! Dad! Danny's back!"

Maddie Fenton's head shot up from the wiring she was working on. Spotting her son, the ghost huntress pulled off her hood and goggles and gave him a broad loving smile as he came closer. "Good timing, sweetie. I was just about to have Jazz call you."

"Does this mean what I think it means?" the halfa asked his mom hopefully. He was greeted with an even wider smile.

"We think so, Danny. We think we have a way of curing Danielle."

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Danny, Jazz, Raven, Tucker, and Sam were now all gathered around one of the computer monitors on the lab wall. The teens were waiting patiently as Jack and Maddie prepared to explain their plan to save their ailing guest. After a bit of scrambling, the screen changed to a chart, showing the readings from Danny yesterday.

Maddie cleared her throat before she began. "Well, let's get things started." She pointed to the screen. "This is the data we scanned from Danny the other day. We think its his midmorph DNA."

"I found it!" Jack announced proudly.

Maddie couldn't help but smile at her husband's bountiful enthusiasm. "Yes you did, dear." She turned back to her audience. "Now, thanks to Jack, we also discovered something very important about you mid morph DNA." Pushing a button on a keyboard, she pulled up another graph, which positioned itself below the first one.

"Isn't that the same thing?" Danny asked as he visually compared the two.

"Almost the same, yes. There is a ninety-eight percent correlation. Like I mentioned before, the one on top is from Danny. The other graph, on the other hand, is from another source entirely: the Fenton Ghost Portal."

"So Danny's midmorph DNA matches up with the portal?" Tucker asked. "That sort of makes sense, considering the portal is what gave Danny his powers to begin with."

"It's also very important in understanding a little bit of how Danny became a half-ghost and how it'll help Danielle," Maddie explained. "You see, after the portal accident in college, Jack and I decided take our time in creating the final version. We spent years going over our calculations to make sure that the accident didn't happen again." It was obvious by the look on her face that talk of the accident during their college years was a touchy subject, 

especially after learning from Danny what the final results were. "That's why it took us so long for us to build the new portal. We chose to build it here in Amity Park because of the high paranormal activity in the city's past.

"Eventually, we came up with the right spectral frequency we needed to create the dimensional hole leading to the Ghost Zone. Of course, we would never have guessed that the exact same frequency is the one that can be used to give people ghost powers."

Danny replayed the last sentence in his head. "Exact same frequency?" he repeated. "So, does that mean if it was set up different…" The pained look of his parents' faces confirmed his thought. Turning pale, the ghost boy tried to process that he could died during the accident that gave him his powers.

The rest of the room wore similar grim expressions, especially Sam, whose face looked especially upset.

"Normally, being bombarded by such a high quantity of excited ectoplasm should kill you," Jack continued grimly. "But instead of that, the surge of power that's created at the event horizon of the newly formed portal was infused into Danny, infusing each and every one of his cells with ectoplasm." For a moment, a twinkle of light emanated from Jack's eyes, reflecting the typical child-like awe he somehow kept subdued. Discovering how a human/ ghost hybrid was formed made the scientist in him excited. Despite that, even he knew when to hold back.

Looking thoughtful a moment's pause, Danny inquired, "How does this tie into my midmorph DNA?"

Maddie gave him a reassuring smile. "We're getting to that, sweetie." She pulled out a diagram of what appeared to be an outline of Danny's body. Various blotches of neon colors painted a something akin to a map on the screen. "This is a scan of Danny's level of ecrtoplasmic activity when he is in his human form." Using a pointer, she circled a spot around the chest area. "The ectoplasm in his cells are normally in a dormant state, though Danny still gives off some low level ecto-readings."

"Which is why all your gadgets keep freaking out when he's around," Jazz chimed in.

Danny made a face. "Please don't remind me."

"We're sorry about that, Danno," Jack apologized guiltily. "If we knew that our experiments were causing you trouble…"

"Dad, we've been over this already: it wasn't your fault. How were you guys supposed to know about my powers?"

Even with Danny's dismissal of the subject, the two Fenton parents still felt remorse for the danger they inadvertently put their son through. Maddie shook off the guilt for a moment to continue. "So far, this is a theory, but so far, it's all we have," she began. "We think that when Danny goes ghost, his body recreates the conditions of the accident. Whenever he activates whatever mental trigger he uses, his body gives off the same ecto-signature of the portal, which seems to serve as a catalyst to activate the dormant ecto-energy in his body."

"So Danny's body is reliving the accident every time he transforms," Raven interjected for the first time. The sorceress had been listening intently to the explanation of how Danny's powers came to be.

Maddie nodded in confirmation. "In a manner of speaking, yes. It's on a smaller scale, however, almost at the cellular level."

"Wouldn't it hurt?" Tucker queried. "Whenever he goes ghost, I mean. We were there when the accident happen and … Let's just say that it looked like it hurt. A lot"

"It used to." Danny's declaration drew out stares from his friends. "I never told you guys this since I didn't want you to worry but the first couple of times I transformed after I got my powers hurt. It wasn't as bad as the accident, but it was pretty close. Afterwards, though, it just sort of stopped."

"Your body probably adjusted itself to the transformation, which probably why your ecto-signature isn't an exact replica of the one from the portal," Maddie conjectured.

Sam turned to give Danny a look that was mixed with anger and worry. "You should have told us, Danny."

"I'm sorry guys. The whole 'being a ghost' thing was still pretty new to me, so I wasn't sure what was going on. I really didn't want you guys to worry about me." Danny turned to his parents expectantly. "So, if Vlad didn't have my midmorph DNA, how did he create Dani and the other clones?"

Maddie frowned. "He cheated. From what you've told me, he had enough information to create both your ghost and human sides, but without your midmorph sample, he wasn't able to put them together. He must have created one that was close enough, but unfortunately, close enough doesn't cut it. Because Danielle's midmorph DNA is incomplete, it creates a damaged, unstable ghost side whenever she transforms. It's degrading to the point where it's affecting both sides of her.

"That's where this baby comes in!" Jack boasted as he pointed to their incomplete creation. "We call it the Fenton Spectral Resequencer. We're hoping this baby will imprint Danny's midmorph DNA onto Danielle and hopefully stabilize her."

Deep in thought, Danny simply nodded. His parents were trying to sound positive, but he could tell that there was a level of reservation in the language that they used. Not that he could blame them; they were making use with what little they knew to pull off what essentially was a miracle. He was scared to even ask what the success rate was, if they even knew that. Instead, what he thought was a more important question sprang up to mind. "Is it going to hurt her?"

His parents exchanged anxious glances before Maddie responded. "Truthfully, we're not sure, honey. Of course, we're trying everything we can to try to make the process as painless as possible. But what we're doing is essentially recreating your portal accident, so it's a distinct possibility." Maddie tried to hold back the emotions her motherly instincts had conjured up. "We don't have to proceed if you don't want to, Danny. There may be other ways to go around doing this, but what little time we have now, we feel this may be the best chance she has."

"We don't have much of a choice, do we," Danny muttered grimly. "No, that's not true. It's not our choice to make." He stood up, preparing to make his way back upstairs. "Ultimately, Dani has to decide whether we do this or not."

"Danny, wait," his mother called out, stopping him in his tracks. "Before you go, there's one more thing we need to talk about. Your father and I have been talking things over and since it's a decision that will affect the whole family, it's only fair that you have a say in it as well. We wanted to know what you thought about adopting Dani, if… when we cure her."

Her statement seized both Danny and Jazz's interest almost immediately. The teens turned to each other, exchanging looks for a brief moment before turning back towards their parents. Both sported matching grins in reply to their parent's question.

"Is that all?" Danny asked, managing to pull off a light-hearted tone in his voice. "I thought that was a given?"

Danny's answer seemed to lift the spirits of the Fenton family, cutting through the unease in the atmosphere. Danny then continued his journey upstairs, despite that his task weighed heavily on his heart.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

The halfa paused for a moment in front of the girl's room to catch his wits and strengthen his resolve. He had taken it upon himself to let his cousin in on the procedure that would ultimately decide her fate. Despite the intimidation he felt, he knew it was his duty to let her know. Heaving a sigh, he turned the knob on the handle and quietly entered.

The room was dimly lit, save for the last bits of sunlight of the day that slipped through the curtains of the room. He took a seat beside her bed as he watched her sleep. Her chest rose and fell under her sheets from the rhythmic yet somewhat ragged breaths she took. After a few moments of hesitation, Danny gently placed a hand on his cousin's forehead, feeling how clammy her skin was against his. Danny felt a pang of sympathy shoot through him at the sight of her current condition. He sat there for what seemed like forever.

Finally stirring, the ghost girl opened her eyes slowly. It took her a moment to notice that she had an audience. Once she did, however, her demeanor changed. Her eyes lit up brightly at the sight of her cousin, much the same as when he had first found her in Jump City. A weak, bright smile blossomed from her lips. "Danny!" she exclaimed tiredly, still rubbing sleep from her eyes.

Danny returned the favor with a smile of his own. "Hey, kiddo," he replied. His fingers lightly ruffled her hair.

Dani playfully batted away his hand. "How was your day?"

"It was fine," he replied, surprised at her curiosity. He suddenly felt a bit guilty about leaving her alone. "I'm sorry I wasn't here today."

The younger hybrid shook her head, dismissing his apology. "It's okay. Raven said you had something important to do. I understand."

Danny was a bit taken aback at her understanding. Shaking off his surprise, the older halfa remembered the reason why he came. "Listen, Danielle, there's something we need talk about. Mom and Dad think they've found a way to make you stable again."

The news had the desired effect. Dani's eyes seemed to widen to the size of spotlights, shining with hope. "Really?"

"Yeah. They're working on it right now. It shouldn't take much longer to get things ready. The only problem is…" Hesitating, he found that he could no longer look at her. "They think it might hurt. A lot. And they're also not sure that it would work at all." He waited for a moment to let her respond to the news. When none came, he continued. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to. Mom and Dad could find another way to do it, something that isn't painful. It's all up to…" he stopped when he felt her hand rest upon his. Its small, feeble grip held fast to his own. He turned to his cousin only to find, however, that she was in distress. Her face was deathly white and even clammier than before. Her eyes were wide as she struggled to breathe.

"Danny," she gasped painfully before her body began to buck with convulsions.

The halfa gripped her shoulders to hold her in place as her body trembled. After a moment or so of this, he found his voice and began to cry out for someone to help. Just as abruptly as it came, the trembling stopped. Danielle?" he asked meekly, fearing the worse. He watched as the younger halfa barely managed to open her eyes, which were filled with primal fear. The look she gave Danny sent a chill down his spine colder than even his own ice powers.

"…Danny…" she managed to rasp, "… I-I don't want to die…" Her eyes fluttered shut as she fell unconscious, unaware that her cousin was crying out her name.

* * *

**AN: Bwahahahahahaha!! Ain't I a stinker? In the words of my Beta, Cordria:**

"**NO YOU CAN"T STOP IT THERE!!"**

**Hopefully, I can get another one of these to you in a couple of weeks. Till then, Stay Funky.**


	11. Chapter 10: The Cure

**Author's Notes: I'm really, terribly sorry. I'm late once again. There is a good reason for it this time. I had a really hard time trying to figure out a believable explanation for what happened in this chapter. I had mymind set on one way for quite a while, but once I tried to write it, I found it hard to get it written down. Thankfully, some inspiration from my buddy Michael J. J, author of "Adjustments", helped me out big time (thanks, Dude). Also, special thanks goes out to my beta, Cordria. She's always a great source of input. And is an awesome writer to boot. Make sure to check out her "Nova Shots".**

**Now, on with the show.**

* * *

Lost and Found Chapter 10: The Cure

He hated this feeling. It gnawed at the pit of his stomach, as if it was struggling rip itself free from his body: this feeling of helplessness. His hands, still wet with ectoplasm, balled up into fists, eager to take out his frustration onto anything. He couldn't stand not doing anything, not when he had so much strength at his disposal. Unfortunately, that was how things were as he looked on as Raven was intently focused on saving the clone's life.

He replayed the events just minutes ago. The moment the sickly halfa collapsed in his arms, her body began to deteriorate rapidly. He panicked when he saw her body transform into viscous green liquid, staining his clothes and the sheets on the bed. He stood there frozen, unable to do anything but hold on to her quickly dissolving form.

It was then that Raven had arrived. The sorceress had heard his earlier cries for help and came as soon as she could. She now struggled on keeping the young girl from falling apart even further. Her hands hovered over the girl's body, glowing brightly with healing power as she tried to work a miracle. She knew if she had arrived just moments later that all this would have been in vain. She had barely managed to stop the girl from disintegrating even further and was now attempting to stabilize her.

Danny was so affixed by the scene in front of him that he didn't notice the dark hand that rest on his shoulder or the pale one that grabbed his. All he could do was contain all the bottled up frustration that seemed to reach a boiling point in his mind. He wanted to shout, he wanted to scream. He wanted to be anywhere but here. He couldn't stand to see his cousin like this. He couldn't watch her be in so much pain. The look in her eyes before she fell unconscious haunted his memory, as well as those words she spoke to him.

'_I don't want to die.'_

He shook his head as her voice echoed off the recesses of his mind. His eyes hardened with determination as he reaffirmed a silent, solemn vow. After everything she went through in her short life, after everything Vlad put her 

through, he wasn't going to let her die, not like this. She had every right to live as he or his family or his friends did. She didn't deserve any of this.

Raven's shoulders slumped as her extinguished hands finally dropped to her shoulders. The sorceress was exhausted but her hard work was worth it in the long run. She stood up from her position, only to feel her body resist the commands of her brain as she wobbled slightly. Two reassuring hands steadied her stance before she toppled over all together.

"Maybe you should rest for a bit," Danny suggested as he guided her back down to her seat.

Deciding that it wasn't such a bad idea, the sorceress sat down to regain her strength. A heavy pause seemed the hang in the air as everyone in the room awaited for her prognosis. "She's in a coma," Raven stated. "She's fading and fast. I barely managed to stabilize her this much. The damage is getting worse much faster than I can heal her. I don't think she's going to survive another day. I'm sorry."

Silence engulfed the room as everyone tried to take in the news. Time had suddenly become their enemy, an unstoppable force that now seemed nearly impossible to overcome. At stake was the life of a young girl whose fate seemed set in stone.

Jack and Maddie, who had rushed up the stairs when Danny gave his call for help, watched as their son turned towards them. The parents were taken aback by the look on his face. Resolve seemed to be carved permanently onto his face, a sight they were still not used to seeing. His expression spoke volumes: he hadn't given up hope; he couldn't give up hope, because doing so meant failure and they knew that he wouldn't accept that.

"How long?"

There wasn't a need for him to clarify the question to them. The query shook all doubts out of Maddie's mind as she mentally went over the calculations in her mind. "If we work nonstop, we can finish the Resequencer by morning."

"I'll help however I can," Jazz decided confidently.

"Whatever you need, I'm the man," Tucker concurred.

The others voiced similar vows. Danny couldn't help but give a weak smile.

"What are we waiting for?" Jack stated unwaveringly. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us!"

With his call to arms proclaimed, the battle against the untouchable adversary known as time commenced.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

After moving Danielle to the lab with the utmost care, work on the Fenton Spectral Resequencer initiated. Everyone worked on putting the contraption together, all while under Maddie's watchful eye. Various pieces of equipment were connected together like the pieces of an intricate puzzle. The work was time-consuming and complex for everyone involved. Though some of it was straight forward, much of the work involved making custom parts and making sure that they were properly calibrated. Most of the more technical work was done by Jack and Maddie, with a bit of help from Tucker, who used his love and knowledge of technology to good use, and Jazz, who had become familiar with her parent's inventions over the years. Most of the heavy lifting was done by either Danny in his ghost form or Raven., who kept her senses alert in case of any complications in Dani's condition. Although Sam wasn't as technically savvy as the rest of them, she managed to find a way to aid everyone else the best she could.

They worked well into the night, stopping only briefly for breaks. The group struggled as exhaustion began to set in, especially with the Fenton parents, who hadn't slept much within the last couple of days. Even Danny felt the strain, despite the fact he was using hunting ghosts late into the night. They went on, however, ignoring the fatigue. There was too much at stake to let a lack of sleep slow them down. No one complained once as their hearts banded together for a single goal. By the time the group had finished their project, the sun's rays were beginning to shine through the city above.

Everyone took a step back to see what they had created. The machine looked something akin to an MRI machine. Four rings, each five feet in diameter, wrapped around a cot. Embedded into the inner part each of the rings were silver discs, whose edges gave off an eerie green glow. The rings themselves were surrounded by a tube of glass and metal, providing shielding and protection for those on the outside. Snaking from the tube was a thick cable, which connected to a device that was waist high and looked very complicated. Another cable, as thick as the last one, led straight to the Fenton's Ghost portal.

Nervously checking everything over one last time, Maddie Fenton let her mind wander to the upcoming procedure. She couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive. In any other circumstance, she would have taken more time do some tests and run some simulations. Although she trusted her family and their skills, she couldn't deny that they had done a rush job in building the Sequencer. Any number of things could go wrong, putting the fragile life they had in their care at risk. They, unfortunately, had no other choice: time was just about up. They had to act now or else…

Gathering up courage, she took a big breath before addressing the others. "Alright, everyone," she began. "We are going to be starting in a few moments, so you'll be able to catch your breaths for now." She smiled as she heard the 

collective sigh of her family and Danny's friends. She turned her eyes back towards the screen before her as she made her final inspection.

"Mom?"

The sound of Danny's voice caught her by surprise. She set her attention towards him curiously. "Yes, dear?"

The boy fidgeted a little under her gaze as he struggled to find the right words to say. "I guess I wanted to wish you guys good luck and everything. And also…" his voice faltered slightly before he continued. "Also, I wanted to say that even if it doesn't turn out the way that we wanted, I still want to thank you and Dad for working so hard. Everything you guys have done recently means a whole lot to me."

Maddie was touched by the sincerity of her son's voice and his expression. She quickly closed the gap, pulling him into a motherly embrace. "Oh sweetie, thank you! You don't know how much that means to us." She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "No matter what, we'll do the best we can."

"Thanks, Mom," Danny replied with an appreciative smile.

She wasted no time in getting back at the task at hand. "Jack, I need you and Tucker to get the computer and the monitoring program ready. Raven, I need your help in moving Danielle."

With their orders received, the trio did as they were told. Raven used her telekinetic powers to carefully and gently move Danielle into the device, taking care in not disturbing the girl. After a few moments Tucker gave the thumbs-up sign, indicating that all systems were go. The tension was palpable: this was it.

The group receded behind some makeshift shielding the Fentons had devised. With sweat building onto their brows, they all waited anxiously for the procedure to commence. Maddie glanced at her husband before she did anything else, the worry clearly written on her face. Jack simply smiled and nodded his head, easing away some of her doubt. With a gulp, Mrs. Fenton pressed a single button, activating the apparatus.

A hum rang through the lab as it came to life. Maddie never took her eyes off the screen as she monitored the progress. Everything was going exactly as she and Jack had calculated. Power for the mechanism was being pulled from their Ghost Portal. The energy created from the tear in space would provide more than enough of the oomph that was needed. The ectoplasm would then enter into the heart of the system: the sequencing module. It was here that the raw ecto-energy would be modulated to Danny's midmorph DNA. Once the ectoplasm was at the right frequency, it would be emitted by the discs embedded in the rings, bathing Danielle in energy that would hopefully imprint the new signature into Danielle.

So far things were going well. The ectoplasm was modulated to the right frequency and was being released without a hitch. She started the process at a low level to gauge the effect it would have on their patient. She took a look at the girl's vitals and smiled. It was actually working! Already, she could see signs of her cellular structure stabilizing. It was slower than they had hoped at this level, but it was working. Maddie gave the ok for her husband to increase the intensity. Jack complied with the utmost care, quite contrary to his usual demeanor.

As the elder Fentons operated, the teens looked on nervously. Danny's face held firm and emotionless, though his eyes told a different story. Beside him was Raven, who held onto his hand firmly, hoping to provide him with as much emotional support as she could. She could easily feel the turmoil that waged in his heart. On one side was hope, an emotion he had to rely on constantly for the past couple of days. On the other side was fear and doubt of a positive outcome. The chance that things could go horribly wrong was great and bore heavily on his mind. No matter how things went, she would be there for him.

Tucker and Jazz stood to his right, ready and willing to lend a hand if needed. Out of all his friends, they were the ones who knew the Fenton's technology the most. They knew he was counting on them, all of them, if anything should go wrong. While they waited for any sort of progress, Jazz stole sidelong glances at her brother. Though she trusted her parent's abilities, she couldn't stop her inner future psychologist from going into overdrive. She knew if Danielle didn't make it, that Danny would be the one to be hit the hardest. She internally went over ways to comfort her little brother if worse came to worse.

Sam stood behind everyone else, her self-imposed solitude giving her some breathing space. She didn't know why, but somehow she felt a little bit left out. During the build, it felt as if she was the one that contributed the least. She wasn't part of the family like Jazz, or was good at technology like Tucker. Even Raven provided more than she did, not only by keeping Danny's cousin well, but by giving him a shoulder to lean on. Sam couldn't help but feel the emerald eyed beast rear its ugly head as her eyes gravitated to the sight of Danny and Raven's hands bound together. Sam shook her head furiously. Now wasn't the time for thoughts like this. Danny needed all the friends he could get. Even with that thought in mind she didn't, or rather couldn't, move an inch.

Maddie could feel the corners of her mouth begin to curl ever so slightly. She could feel the hope bubbling up inside her as she continued to monitor the progress of the procedure. Danielle's body seemed to be responding rather well to the treatment and everything seemed to be operating at normal parameters. Jack would periodically increase the intensity, which they theorized would be less painful for her that a full on jolt. It seemed to have the desired effect; the slumbering girl only showed a hint of discomfort while she slept through the whole thing. Maddie allowed the smile on her face to widen and her expectation to build. An hour or so would probably do the trick to completely stabilize her.

Unfortunately, it was then that their ship called hope decided to spring a leak, on the whim of a red glaring screen and persistent buzzing sound.

"Jack?" Maddie cried as all signs of joy faded from her face. Her eyes darted crazily, trying to find the cause of the alarm. She quickly found the source: there seemed to be a spike of power from the sequencing module. The result was a fluctuation in the proper frequency, something they didn't want. "Jack, try lowering the power output," she ordered, hoping that would solve the problem.

The ghost hunter complied, turning the knob in the opposite direction. As a result, the fluctuations began to dissipate and the red light ceased its blinking.

"Mom?" Jazz asked worriedly. "Everything going ok?" She and Tucker had gotten closer to her parents to give any aid.

Maddie's eyebrows furrowed. "We're not sure. The power just suddenly spiked…" Before she could continue, another klaxon sounded, indicating that the power had spiked once again.

"It wasn't me!" Jack exclaimed. He turned the knob down for emphasis, but unlike before, the readings and the whine from the machine continued to rise. The distortion in the signal increased in tandem with the power fluctuations.

"Damn it," Maddie swore under her breath, much to the surprise of her daughter. The huntress rechecked the screen to confirm her suspicions. "Jack, cut the power. There's a feedback loop in the sequencing module. If we let this go on even further…"

The rest of her sentence was muffled by the sound of a small explosion as sparks began to fly out of the module in question. Everyone shielded their eyes from the intensity of the blast. The room was soon filled with more flashing red lights and alarms. As they struggled to find their bearings and blink away the spots out of their eyes, the sound of Dani's scream pierced through all the other noise in the lab, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. Their attention caught by the cry, everyone looked on in horror as the girl's body convulsed in pain from a deluge of raw ectoplasmic energy.

Forcing herself to look away from the sight, Maddie put her focus solely on a way to end's Danielle's suffering. She initiated the shutdown sequence on the panel in front of her but instead received nothing but sparks and more warning lights. "Everything is fused!" she exclaimed, turning towards her husband with a look of dread. "The sequencer is feeding her a direct feed from the portal. She'll die if we don't find a way to cut off the power."

It took only a moment for her words to register in Jack's mind. His face grew harsh and resolute as he plotted his next course of action. Turning towards the now volatile machine, the burly man began to move himself closer in an effort to disengage the main power line manually. A black and white blur beat him to the punch however.

Danny, already in his ghost form, shot like a rocket past his father towards the mechanism, whose noise now sounded like that of a monstrous beast. He tried to ignore the still sparking machinery, which continued to spout both electricity and energized ectoplasm alike. The halfa got as close to the main module as possible, grabbing the cable that fed it power. Using his ghost enhanced strength, the teen hero began to tug with all his might, hoping to disengage cable from its socket and save his cousin's life. Metal and insulation began the strain from his pulling as he put his all into it. Unfortunately, the powerful blast that had taken place moments before had welded the cable in place.

Whatever progress he was able to make was suddenly halted as a bolt of green energy slammed into his chest. Danny was sent hurtling backwards, slamming into the shielding that separated the rest of his family. He groaned from the impact as he tried to clear his head. He became alert again as Dani gave another cry of anguish. Now even more determined, the halfa quickly weighed his options. The cable wasn't going to budge anytime soon and Danielle didn't have any time left. He could try to cut the cable with a few ectoblasts, but that might take too long. There was only one thing he could think of to save her life. He touched off from the ground into the air and made a beeline for the chamber, hoping he wasn't too late.

He unfortunately failed to notice his name being called by his friends and family due to the growing wail of the apparatus.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

She was scared.

She floated inside a dark void, her arms wrapped around her knees. She could feel it; her world literally crumbling apart. She knew she didn't have much time left and it scared her. She had tried to cope with her flawed state as best as she could. She tried to ignore it, filling her mind instead with roaming around the country, seeing the sights the world had to offer. There was a part of her mind that wanted to stay in Amity with Danny, the only real family she cared to know. The part of her that thought otherwise won out, however. The clone felt like an outsider. Danny had his own family, his own friends and she didn't want to interfere with his life. While on the road, she would often dream about what it was like to have a real family; people who wanted her. People who didn't care that she was a failed copy, a throwaway.

Despite the loneliness that plagued her, Dani enjoyed her freedom. Though her powers were not up to par, they were more than enough to keep her safe. Her powers were also handy at providing her food, though she would often feel guilty afterwards. Stealing made her feel like she was like Vlad, someone she wanted desperately to forget about. Unfortunately, it became obvious that Vlad didn't forget about her when the ghost attacks started. She wisely never took his creations head on, opting to use her wits to evade them. The constant attacks caused her to move locations more frequently, which had the unfortunate side effect of wearing down her powers a lot quicker than she would have liked.

Eventually, it became more and more obvious that she'd have to head back to her cousin. She had hoped that Danny would be able to cure her, though she knew the chances were slim. Still, seeing him again brought her a small glimmer of hope. Even now, when death was nearly at her door, she still hoped that he would come to her rescue. What surprised her the most was how his family reacted to her. They never saw her as mistake or just a cheap imitation of their son. Instead, they worked their hardest to try to help her, though she couldn't necessarily understand why.

She continued to float in limbo, her mind full of doubt and fear. She could occasionally hear what was happening in the outside world. Sometimes she could hear Danny, his voice full of conviction and determination. She also felt a warm sensation; something she attributed to Raven's healing powers. It would help sometimes but even she knew it wasn't enough. She knew condition was only getting worse.

Then something happened. Something different. It felt funny at first; unfamiliar. It was much different than what she felt when Raven used her magic. It seemed to permeate her very being, melting away that constant sense of weakness she always felt and replaced it with newfound strength. Was this it? Was Danny keeping his promise after all? Even now, it felt as if her body was rebuilding itself, the deterioration that had become all but common for her dissolving.

And then, all hell broke loose.

The new feeling was suddenly replaced with intense, searing pain. It ran through her like a bolt of electricity, igniting every molecule of her being. Every nerve in her body cried for relief from the seemingly unending torment. Her voice grew hoarse from the screaming, though that's all she was able to do.

And then suddenly it ceased.

Her body relaxed, thankful for the sudden relief. Though her mind was reeling and confused, she wondered if that was truly the end of it. Where had it come from to begin with? And where was Danny? She knew that the only 

way her questions would be answered. Slowly, her eyes began to open. It was blurry at first; she could make out two glowing green orbs. After a few moments, she realized what they were and who they belonged to.

"Danny?"

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Though the burden seemed almost unbearable, he endured it the best he could. Danny felt like he was holding back an entire ocean as he grunted from the strain of maintaining his ghost shield. Floating above his cousin's bed, the halfa had his back turned towards his shield, the only thing that separated her from the barrage of ectoplasm that lay on the other side. Though he was glad his plan had worked, he didn't know how long it would last. The damage he took the precious moments between his entrance into the chamber and the creation of the shield was taking its toll on him.

"Danny?"

He was so preoccupied with protecting her that he didn't even notice she had awoken. He looked down at her confused face and managed to produce a smile. "Hey, cous," he replied casually.

"Wha-whats going on?" she replied, still weak from the agony she felt earlier.

"Don't worry about a thing, Dani," he responded, contrary to the fact that he could feel his strength slowly slipping away. With his mind racing, he tried to think of a way to get her out of there. It took all his might to keep the dome up. Trying to move would force him to forgo it, something he knew neither of them would survive. Then again, sooner or later his powers would fail him, dooming them anyway.

The girl stayed silent for a moment, staring back at her cousin warily. Despite how dire things looked, a smile blossomed on her face. She couldn't help it, after everything he was doing to try and save her. Her hand slowly began to reach up to him. Her lips parted as she began to speak. "Thank…"

Her gratitude was tragically cut short. Danny watched in horror as her body began to convulse, the tremors being more violent than those from yesterday. "Dani!" he cried out fearfully as he shot out a hand to grab hers.

Despite the fierce trembling, she managed to look keep her gaze on him, the smile never leaving her face, even as she began to melt away.

"NO!" the ghostly Titan howled. No, it couldn't end like this. After everything he and his family went through, after all that hard work, it couldn't. In an instant, all his hope shattered into dust, shaking him so greatly that whatever strength that he had remaining left him in an instant. The last thing he saw was the smile on her face that was quickly enveloped by a flash of green light…

* * *

**AN: I'm apologizing again. When my beta finished the chapter, this is what she had to say:**

"**YOU FREAKING EVIL PERSON!! YOU ENDED IT THERE?! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?! WHERE THE HELL DO YOU LIVE, I'M GOING TO HUNT YOU DOWN AND DEMAND TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!**

**GAH!"**

**Bwahaha**


	12. Chapter 11: Hugs and Kisses

Author's Notes: Another chapter rolls off the presses. I was really stuck on this one, which is the reason for the delay. Parts of this chapter had to be rewritten quite a few times aqnd for good reason: the first few drafts stunk. Luckily, my beta, Cordria, and her watchful eye helped me iron out the rought parts. Also thanks to Micheal JJ, who took the time to review it as well. I hope you enjoy it, as it should satisfy all those who wanted to kill me the last chapter… or will it?

* * *

Lost and Found Chapter 11: Hugs and Kisses

A groan echoed through the room as its sole occupant awoke from his slumber. He groggily opened his eyes, only to find darkness greeting him. As he adjusted to the lack of light, he could make out a model rocket and planets hanging from the ceiling. His wandering gaze also found a telescope that stood next to the tightly closed window. His mind, still sluggish and groggy from his recent sleep, slowly put the pieces together until it donned on him where he had woken up.

Moving at a snail's pace, Danny Fenton shifted himself into a seated position and found it hard to navigate his limbs, which were racked with a soreness that seemed to envelope his entire body. After a few moments of struggling, he allowed his weight to lean back onto the headboard of his bed and quickly regretted it as a burst of pain shot up his back. A hiss erupted from his lips as he shot forward. Propping his pillow behind him, the teen carefully positioned himself onto the down-filled cushion.

With his body now in a relatively comfortable position, Danny tried to piece together the missing pieces of his memory. A foggy haze still hung in his mind as to how and why he ended up in his room. He knew from his soreness that he was in a battle of some sort, but the details were still sketchy in his mind. He tried to grasp at the last conscious memories before he passed out, but they seemed to elude his grasp. It was as if his mind was playing tricks on him, trying to keep him from something and the frustration that resulted only seemed to fuel him even more.

It was then that they came and he instantly regretted his search. The memories first began as a trickle. He remembered being in his parents lab, waiting impatiently for the procedure on his ailing cousin to take place. He remembered the tension being so palpable, so intense. He had held his breath when his mother activated the machine and only let it go after he saw the smiles on his parents' faces. The hope in his heart swelled at that moment. He could feel Raven's hands squeezing his tightly as he and his friends watched things unfold.

And then everything went to hell.

The memories came at him faster now, like a torrent that threatened to drown him. His parents had become more and more fervent and agitated with their efforts and he could tell that something was wrong, though they tried to 

hide it. It was then that the sounding of the alarms had nearly stopped his heart. He watched as the computer screens light up his vision with a bloody crimson, deflating the hope in his heart and replacing it with cold dread. Her screams of pain shook his very core as he watched her writhe in agony. He wanted to do something, anything.

As he sat in his bed, Danny's hands balled up into fists as the rest of the memories flew past his eyes in a blur. He remembered the blast that had hit him when he tried to disconnect the machine's power. He remembered how much he struggled as he held back the waves of power that threatened his cousin's life. He remembered the fear she had in her eyes when she began to melt away, a fear that turned into a smile as she tried to thank him for all he done before oblivion swept over him.

"Why?" he asked the darkness of his room. Why couldn't they… why could he save her? The questions echoed in his mind incessantly, threatening to drive him insane. He and his parents had tried so hard to save her and give her a chance at a normal life, something he had always taken for granted. After everything she had went through in the past year, she deserved something more than what fate had handed her. She deserved a family and people who loved and cared about her. And now she would never have the chance. It wasn't fair. "Damn it!" he cried out in grief. The halfa's shoulders began to shake as sobs erupted from his lips.

The teen hero was in such a state of distress that he failed to notice that he was no longer alone. A warm, motherly embrace took the teen by surprise. Blinking back tears, he looked up to find his mother, who had entered the room moments earlier. Maddie held fast to her son, stroking his hair in an effort to calm him down.

"It's all right," she spoke softly. "Everything is fine, Danny."

Her words were meant to calm him down but they seemed to have the opposite effect on the halfa. A sudden wave of guilt overwhelmed him, causing him to overt his eyes from her warm gaze. He tried and failed to fight the urge to cry into her shoulder. "I-I'm so sorry," he sobbed. "I tried so hard to save her… I tried, but I couldn't…" The tears continued to flow as he babbled his apology.

"Danny, its fine," she consoled. "Danielle's just fine."

Her words seemed to hit him like a Mack truck, releasing him from his stupor. "What?"

Maddie stifled a laugh at her son's expense. "Danny, she's alive. Danielle is sleeping soundly in her guest room."

Danny could only stare back dumbfounded by her revelation. He wanted desperately to believe his mother but at the same time, he had seen Dani melt away, hadn't he? "But …. I saw her…"

"I know it's hard to believe," she interrupted, "I'm still not sure that even I believe it, to be honest with you. But I'm telling you the truth, Danny. She's alive and it's thanks to you."

"Me?!" Danny was even more bewildered now than he was before. "How did I…?"

As he tried to wrap his mind around everything, Mrs. Fenton got up to turn on the lamp on Danny's nightstand, instantly bathing the room with illumination. She returned to her seat at her son's side before she continued. "Your father and I are still a bit unclear on all the details. Do you remember what happened?" His response to her was a nod. "When we saw you fly into the chamber, we didn't know how to react. I could have sworn my heart had gotten stuck in my throat. And then your shield failed and we saw the rings around your waist…" Her voice began to falter as she relived those moments in her mind. "I thought I had lost you both.

"But then, something happened, something that wasn't anything short of a miracle. When the energy hit you, it should have…" Unable to finish the sentence, she let it die there. "But you didn't. Instead, we think your body absorbed most of the energy from the blast. We think it might have been because you were unconscious and you weren't resisting. The shock of the blast forced you to transform back into your ghost form."

"That's why I'm still alive?" he asked meekly.

"That's why you're both alive," she explained. "You were holding on to Danielle's hand before you lost consciousness. Your body absorbed so much energy that when you transformed, the energy transferred to her as well. I saw the rings transfer from you to her before the flash."

"Flash?"

Maddie nodded. "The rest of the energy you absorbed had to go somewhere. Your transformation gave off a large burst of energy that fed back into the sequencer, causing it to overload."

"Overload?" her son said in a panicked voice. "Is everyone ok? Did anyone get hurt?"

"They're fine sweetie," she reassured. "Raven managed to put up one of her shields in time. Your father actually just got back from driving everyone home."

Digesting his mother's story, Danny just sat there for a few moments. "And you're sure she's okay?"

She nodded in response. "We still have to run a battery of tests to make sure she doesn't relapse, but yes. From the scans we took after the incident, she seemed more than stable enough. In fact, thanks to the healing factor you two seem to have, she should be fully recovered by tomorrow."

Danny let out a sigh of relief. She was fine after all. In some weird way he had saved her, though he knew it was by complete chance. It could have easily gone the other way, though that didn't stop the halfa from sporting a large smile. It wasn't what anyone was expecting but he wasn't one to complain about good fortune.

Maddie smiled back at her son, though tears began to form in her eyes. Something began to build up within her as she watched him until she finally was unable to contain it. Her arms soon found their way around him again, though this time her embrace was much tighter than it was before. "I'm so happy that both of you are alright," she stated in a somber tone. "If we had lost either of you, I don't know what we'd do." Her grip on him was firm, as if she had no intention of ever letting him go.

"Mom?" he asked warily. Her tone of voice was causing his apprehension to run high. "Are you okay?" He managed to pull away from her enough to notice that her eyes were bloodshot.

Maddie placed her hands on his shoulders as she began to speak. "I want you to know that I never meant for you or Danielle to get hurt. It's my fault that things went so badly…"

"There was no way you could have known that was going to happen, Mom," he countered.

"I should have factored in that there might have been feedback. I should have factored in a lot of things." She let her arms fall to her sides in defeat. "I don't know how I can even consider myself a respectable paranormal investigator. We rushed through everything so hazardously… if only we had taken more time to run simulations…"

"Mom," Danny said in the sternest voice he could muster. The severity of his voice caught the elder ghost hunter's attention. "Mom, you shouldn't blame yourself. I know you and Dad did the best you could under the circumstances. We all knew the risks; we all knew that there was a chance things could go wrong."

"But we put both of you in so much danger…."

"No buts," he interrupted. If it was any other time, he would found the role reversal to be quite ironic. "Sometimes things just happen. That's just how life is. The important thing is that we're okay. I don't blame you and I'm pretty sure Dani doesn't, either."

Maddie nodded silently. She probably had Raven to thank for her son's sudden wisdom. "I think we need to get some sleep," she said after a few thoughtful moments. After turning off the nearby lamp, she made her way to the hallway door. "Sleep tight, dear."

"Sure thing, Mom," he replied.

Smiling, she exited the room, closing the door behind her. The smile faded as she made her way back to the room she shared with Jack. Despite Danny's words, she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt over everything that happened. It seemed that once again one of their experiments had put their children in danger. She vowed to herself that she would never let anything like that happen again.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

The summer sun soon began to rise over Amity Park, flooding the city with its warm rays and waking up those still lost in slumber. Awakening Raven from her sleep , its warm touch caressed her cheeks. The sorceress stirred, stretching her arms as she took in her surroundings. She was in Danielle's room, a book in her lap as she sat in a chair next to the girl's bed. Raven had made it her duty to watch the girl last night, making sure that she didn't relapse. Luckily, that didn't seem to be the case. After the Fentons did their preliminary tests, Raven used her magic to check on the girl herself. Her results confirmed with theirs: any signs of Dani's former ailment were quickly receding.

Raven walked over to her patient's side to once again check on her progress. After doing a quick scan, she couldn't help but allow a smile creep upon her lips. She found that Dani was all but fully recovered and was quite pleased with the girl's quick return to health. She knew that the younger halfa meant a lot to Danny and had even found a place in her own heart (not that she'd admit it). She was glad to see that the girl was going to have another chance at life, much like the chance Raven got after the defeat of father. It was one of the many reasons why she was a Titan to begin with: to save lives and give second chances.

She slowly got up, making sure not to wake the sleeping ghost girl and proceeded to leave the room. Entering the hallway, the sorceress stole a glance down the hall and her smile fell. She stood frozen there as her mind began to wander to her other patient. Raven's eyebrow furrowed and a solemn look crossed her face as memories from the night before resurfaced and along with them, the emotions she felt at the time. She placed her hand on the wall to steady herself and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

The truth was that the night before had hit her more than she had cared to admit even to herself. Fear, dread, and grief swept though her mind and threatened to unhinge her as she relieved what she thought at the time was the death of one she cared a great deal for. The moment the flash had engulfed them, it'd felt as if her heart was literally 

ripped out of her chest. Despite the relief she felt after seeing he had indeed survived, she still felt shaken and unhinged.

Raven took another calming breath and tried to collect herself. She closed her eyes and whispered her meditative chant under her breath but it seemed to have little effect on her current state. Opening her eyes again, she focused her gaze on one of the doors down the hall. She had a feeling that the only way her emotions were going to calm down was to go see him and make sure he was alright. Quietly, she made her to his door and hesitated momentarily before turning the knob.

She entered the room as cautiously and silently as she could. Crossing the threshold, she closed the door behind her and let her eyes search the room for him. Her gaze locked onto his sleeping form immediately as he lay on his bed. Raven let out a lungful of air she never realized she had held. She silently chided her previous anxieties though she could feel a wave of relief wash over her.

It was then that she let her current location set in: she was in his room.

The irony of the situation was not lost to her. She, of all people, knew the importance of privacy and personal space. Her guilt, however, was soon forgotten as her curiosity got the better of her as she let her eyes begin to wander about the room, taking everything in. She noticed from the various space related memorabilia that littered it that a certain theme permeated Danny's room. What caught her violet eye the most was the telescope that stood on its stand next to the halfa's window. Finding it intriguing, she made her way over to the device and began to examine it. Her fingers lightly traced the outside of the device carefully as if she were afraid it would break.

"I can show you how to use it if you want."

The sound of his voice surprised her and caused her to spin on a dime. She found him staring at her with his piercing blue eyes and sporting a large grin.

"I mean, not now, since the suns still out," he continued, "But at night, the view is amazing."

She found that her words were caught in her throat as she stood there unmoving. All she could see were his eyes, the same eyes that always seemed to take her breath away whether he was in ghost or human form. She could feel something in her stir and before she knew, the gap between them had closed. Her arms seemed to have minds of their own as they snaked around his neck and pulled him in closer.

Their lips touched, sending a spark down both their backs. Though Danny was surprised at first, he quickly reciprocated her kiss and applied some pressure of his own. He noticed immediately the neediness in the way she 

assailed his lips and the way the grip of her arms seemed to tighten as time passed. Then, just as quickly as kiss started, it abruptly ended. Danny felt her pull away from him sharply and watched as she averted her gaze. "Rae?" he asked with concern in his voice, "Are you alright?"

Her face mirrored the conflict that clearly played out in her mind. On one hand Raven was relieved to see him awake and doing okay. On the other hand, another side of her, a side she didn't necessarily like, begged to be let out. Eventually something seemed to click and she answered the halfa's query, though it wasn't the verbal response her was expecting. The sound of her hand hitting his face was deafening as it seemed to echo in the enclosed space. Danny's hand shot immediately to his now tender cheek as he starred back at her dumbfounded. Staring back was him was an angry scowl.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?' she asked with barely contained vehemence.

His response contained a mix of bewilderment and anger. "What the… what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about yesterday. How you almost got yourself killed jumping into who knows what kind of danger without even thinking. That's what I'm talking about."

Danny stayed in stunned silence before beginning to speak. "Rae…"

"What were you even thinking? Were you even thinking? Do you realize how easily things could have gone wrong? It was a fluke that you and Danielle even survived that." Raven turned away from him in an effort to hide the moisture that threatened to leave her eyes. Despite this, a hint of emotion seeped into her words, betraying her. "When we saw your shield go down and saw that flash, I thought that we lost you."

"Rae, I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry like that. I just wanted to save her…"

"I know you did," Raven said in a softer tone. "I know that there's a side of you that would do anything to help those you care about. That's… that's one of the things I like about you. But there is a fine line between being courageous and just plain being stupid. You could have died yesterday."

"But I didn't and neither did Dani," Danny replied, dismissing her concerns. "Everything turned out fine."

His response earned him a raised eyebrow from her. "And what happens the next time? What happens when you do die? Ever think about that? What happens to your parents and Jazz and Danielle and Sam and Tucker then? What happens to me then?"

Danny found that he wasn't able to answer any of her questions. The halfa looked away sadly. They stayed like this, unable to say anything to each other, until Danny found something to say. "Do you know what she said to me?" he asked. "You know what Dani said to me yesterday, before you came to heal her? She told me that she didn't want to die." He let his cousin's quote sink in. "How the hell do I say no to that? How do I just stand by and watch her die without trying to do anything?"

Raven was afraid to even look at his face, though she forced herself to do so anyway. His eyes seemed to almost plead with her, asking her the same questions he asked, the same questions she didn't have an answer for.

Before she could formulate a response, the sound of Danny's bedroom door could be heard as it opened. Dani's head peaked in, quickly scanning the room. A smile erupted from her face the moment she spotted her cousin on the bed. Like a rocket, the younger halfa essentially tackled Danny, knocking the wind right out of him.

"Danny!" she cried. "I was so worried about you!"

The ghost boy couldn't help but smile. "I should be asking you the same thing, cous. Are you doing okay?"

"I'm doing great!" she responded exuberantly. "I've never even felt this fantastic before in my entire life. And… it's all thanks to you."

Danny's hand gently patted her head and playfully ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about it, cous. I'm just glad you're cured now."

Dani smiled cheerfully. Her cousin noticed that most, if not all of the spunkiness she had when they had first met was back with a vengeance, which was a very good sign. The bonding moment between the cousins was suddenly interrupted by the particularly loud rumbling of one of their stomachs. A blush spread across Dani's face as she held her belly guiltily.

"Looks like you're in need of some breakfast," Danny stated in between chuckles. "Let's see if Mom has anything cooked up for us. Hey, Raven, want to j…" He stopped midsentence, noticing that Raven was nowhere to be found.

"Raven was here?" the younger halfa asked, looking around the room.

"Forget it. Hey, I'll meet you downstairs, kiddo." Danny ruffled her hair again, educing a cry of protest. Dani frowned in protest, sticking her tongue out before she began heading out the door. Stopping half way across the room, she turned around and returned to the side of her cousin's bed. She tenderly kissed him on the cheek before dashing out the door.

Danny grinned at the girl's sign of affection, glad that she was safe, at least for now. His expression hardened as his mind went back to Raven and the complications that threatened their relationship. "How do I get myself into these things?" He signed as he managed to get himself out of bed. Today was going to be a long one.

DPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDP

Raven quietly closed the door to her room, heaving a sigh that let go all the tension that had built up just moments ago. She chided herself for letting things devolve like this. She should have meditated before she went to see Danny but instead, she let her emotions run free during their exchange, further complicating matters. She meant only to voice her concerns but ended up attacking him.

Deciding that it was best that she calm her emotions before she saw Danny again, Raven took a seat on her bed Indian style and began to meditate silently. The last thing she needed was for things to get worse between them.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

After taking a shower and getting dressed, Danny felt a bit more upbeat. Climbing down the stairs, the raven haired teen made his way to the kitchen, eager to fill his empty stomach. Apparently, he wasn't the only one to have the idea. He found that the kitchen table had two occupants, who were eagerly filling themselves to their heart's content. The first person was his father, Jack, who was no stranger to their kitchen and who was currently making short work of some scrambled eggs and bacon. Seated at the other side of the table was none other than Danielle. The young girl was surprisingly keeping up with the elder Fenton, matching him bite by bite. She ate as if she hadn't had a decent meal in months, which unfortunately was probably the case.

Danny broke his concentration away from the table and instead made his way to his mother and sister, who were standing off to the side, watching the scene unfold with bemused expressions on their faces. "I never thought I'd see the day where someone could be a challenge to Dad when it came to eating," Jazz commented with a grin.

"As long as they leave something for me," Danny stated with a smile of his own. He was glad that among other things, the girl's appetite had returned. At least there was some good news recently. Her condition had been such a burden on his heart for the past few days that seeing her out of bed and smiling made everything worth it. He continued to watch them gorge themselves until a gagging sound began to be heard from the smaller of the two.

Dani's cheeks became a slight shade of blue as she began choking on her breakfast. Danny was by her side in under a second, patting her back in hope that they could dislodge the offending chunk of food. It finally took a rather large 

whack from Jack to clear her throat, causing the girl to sputter and cough. Maddie immediately placed a cup of water in front her, which she immediately downed in seconds.

"Take it easy, cous," Danny teased. "The food isn't going anywhere. And by the way…" He innocently pointed at the corner of her mouth. "I don't all of the food made it to your stomach."

Dani began to blush. Grabbing a towel, she wiped off the syrup that covered the edges of her lips. "I'm sorry," she apologized bashfully. "It's just that… it was so good!" She turned towards Maddie. "Thank you very much for the breakfast, Mrs. Fenton."

"It was nothing dear," the matriarch replied. "Though I can't take all of the credit. Jazz helped me a quite a bit this morning."

"Making sure that she doesn't use the ecto-enhanced cookware, I assume?" Danny whispered to his sister.

Jazz crinkled her nose. "Why do you think the food isn't attacking us?" she whispered back, hiding a grin.

"Alright, everyone," Maddie called, catching everyone's attention, "Once breakfast is done, I'm going to need Danny and Danielle to head downstairs to the lab to run a few tests." She heard a stifled groan from Danny. "That's not a request, young man." Her demeanor then softened. "I just want to make sure there isn't any lasting damage from last night, sweetie. I also want to make sure that Danielle's recovery is running smoothly."

"No problem, Mom," he answered. He was actually glad for the distraction, which would at least get his mind off of his romantic situation.

"Before that, I think there is something we need to discuss. As a family." Maddie pulled up a chair and sat next to Dani, who now had a perplexed look on her face. "Dani, we were wondering how liked here?"

The girl suddenly fell ill to a sudden case of shyness. "Its fine, I guess," she nervously stammered.

Placing her hand on top of Dani's, Maddie gave her a warm, reassuring smile. "Everyone have been talking things over and we wanted to know if… if you wanted to stay with us."

Silence blanketed the room as the Fentons awaited the girl's response. She sat there frozen, her eyes wide as dinner plates. "You want me to stay with you?" she finally managed to reply.

"Even better than that!" Jack boasted. "How would like to join the Fenton clan?"

The question had quite an overwhelming effect on her. Her gaze went from Fenton to the next, finding that each of them was smiling thoughtfully at her. "You… you really want me?"

"Of course we do, cous," the older halfa assured. "It's like I told you before: you're family. And not just my family, but theirs as well."

"You're practically part of the family anyway," Jazz chimed in. "And I don't know about everyone else but it'd be great to finally have another girl in the house, especially to annoy Danny when I go off to college this fall."

"Hey!"

Jazz and Danny's friendly exchange cause Danielle to finally break out of her shocked stupor as a giggle erupted from her lips. Truth of the matter was that though she liked the Fentons… a lot, she never expected them to want her to stay with them. She thought that they saved her life because of Danny and that she would be back on the road again to fend for herself when things were through. The fact that they actually wanted her... it was more than her mind could handle. The halfa suddenly felt moisture form onto her cheeks. She curiously wiped it off with her hand, realizing that it was a tear: she had begun to cry. "I-" she began with a trembling voice, "I…" Despite her tears, a smile erupted from the girls lips. She found herself hugging the closest person in the room, Maddie. "Thank you!" she cried, her voice muffled by Mrs. Fenton's hazmat suit.

The rest of the occupants smiled as they welcomed the new addition to the weirdness that was the Fenton household.

* * *

AN: AWWWWWWW!! So cute. Finally, some good vibes coming out of the Fenton household. Not all is well, though. Will Danny and Raven be able to patch things up? Will Sam jump in to claim what is rightfully hers? With Dani now healed, will Vlad come in to cause trouble? Stay tuned to the next chapter to find out!


	13. Chapter 12: Board Meetings

**AN: Wow, I am reaaly late. Well, wait no more. A fresh chapter for those who are patient. Special thanks for Cordria for lending her time to beta!**

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Lost and Found Chapter 12: Board Meetings

Abel Cain let out a frustrated sigh as he sat patiently at the desk in his office and feigned interest in the board meeting he was currently attending from the terminal in front of him. He barely listened as numerous board members droned on about the financial well being of his company. He didn't know why they insisted on these weekly engagements when he could have just as easily gotten his information from the reports that currently filled up his cooperate inbox. Despite his obvious boredom, however, he paid attention to every word spoken and what he heard was nothing but good news.

In spite of recent economic troubles, KimeraTech was striving and successful, gaining ground in both the NASDAQ and the Dow. It was quite an easy task to achieve, considering the current state of affairs in the military defense market. The news of the arrest and incarceration of Lex Luthor at the hands of the Justice League shook the industry, sending LexCorp's reputation crashing into the ground and leaving a void that KimeraTech was more than happy to fill. Since then, their profits quadrupled in a matter of weeks and many of Luthor's former defense contracts fell into Cain's hands with ease.

Of course, he wasn't the only one to take advantage of the collapse of the Luthor Empire. Vlad Masters, a long time rival of Cain's, had also benefited greatly and had lined his pockets in the process. Masters, like himself, had appeared on the corporate ladder around the same time he did and in almost the same manner. Both had materialized from seemingly nondescript pasts and quickly made a name for themselves, innovating in their fields and devouring all those who could not keep up. Cain was actually surprised that they had never crossed paths before and he had a hunch that was about to change.

After almost an hour the meeting finally adjourned, much to the delight of the executive, who immediately poured himself a drink. Taking a sip of whiskey, Cain pressed a button his desktop console which activated the intercom to his secretary. "Candace, what's next on the agenda for today?"

"I take by your tone of voice that the meeting didn't go so well?" she replied flatly.

He gave a hearty chuckle before replying. "Quite the contrary. Business has never been better."

"You could have fooled me, sir."

"After your first billion, things tend to get a bit boring," he commented sardonically as he took another sip.

A muffled laugh could be heard on the other side of the intercom. "Well, since the company is doing so well, I hope that means I'm getting a raise." The tapping of keys indicated the accessing of her computer. "Your meeting with the special R&D division should have started a few minutes ago, Mr. Cain."

At the sound of his next appointment, he rose to his feet with renewed vigor and placed his glass on the desktop. "Thank you, Candace." He turned to leave, but stopped mid-step. "By the way, perhaps we should discuss a pay raise… perhaps over dinner tonight?"

"I don't think that's appropriate behavior for an executive and his personal assistant," she replied, though her voiced lacked any harshness. "I'll think about it."

Smiling, Cain walked over to elevator door at the far side of his office and pressed the button on the side to activate it. A bell sounded and the doors whirred to life, allowing him passage to the elevator that normally traveled to the levels below. As he stepped inside, he ignored the buttons that would typically send him on his way and instead placed his hand on the back wall of the elevator car. A piece of the wall slid away, revealing a palm and retinal scanner as well as a keypad.

After punching in an access code, Cain allowed the scanners to read his fingerprints and iris, which caused a mechanism to whine into existence. The doors of the elevator closed as the whining became louder and the lights of the cab began to brighten, climaxing into a bright flash that quickly engulfed him. Moments later the lights subsided and the doors opened once again, revealing a hallway instead of his office. Unperturbed by the change of scenery, he made his way past the observation windows that lined the walls, each one revealing researchers and technicians hard at work on some his company's most important and secretive projects.

The businessman finally reached his destination, s a pair of ominous-looking metallic doors that slid open without any hesitation at his arrival and allowed Cain to cross the threshold. He stepped inside a medium sized conference room which housed a table that could seat twelve, along with matching chairs and a large screen monitor that covered half of the farthest wall. As he made his way to the head of the table, he noted that two of his department heads were occupying seats opposite each other and had noticed him the moment he entered the room.

"And our illustrious leader graces us with his presence," the larger of the two stated contemptuously, waving a hand as he did so. "You know I'm a very busy individual, Cain. If you insist on calling these little gatherings, the least you can do is make an effort to show up on time. I swear, you're getting as bad as Marcus."

An outside observer would have found his appearance and stature to be quite intimidating, given the fact that he clearly was not human. A white lab coat wrapped around his body, hiding what was underneath, though what it did show was quite bizarre. Some of his face was covered in purple, scaly skin, though surprisingly that wasn't its most defining feature. A mechanical eye shone a crimson red, surrounded by the armor plating that covered the right side of his face. The metallic hand which he had been waving just moments before now rest on the table top, its claws tapping impatiently on the surface.

"Aren't you being a bit overdramatic, Daedalus?" Inessa Maternova, the other occupant, commented as she rolled her eyes.

The cybernetic demon known as Daedalus scoffed incredulously. "I think not. I just think he should appreciate the fact that I take the time out of my very busy schedule to come here. I should be at my laboratory, working on one of the many projects he's piled on me."

"You make it sound like I overwork you, Daedalus," Cain said as he took a seat, finding he had to tilt his head upwards to look his sizeable colleague in the eye. "Weren't you complaining a few weeks ago that you were getting bored?"

"That's not the issue here. Tell me, do you at least have an adequate excuse for your tardiness?"

"The board meeting ran a little later than I anticipated," the raven-haired businessman replied.

A humph escaped from the Daedalus's lips. "Oh that explains everything. I'll never understand you humans and your fascination with green paper."

"That green paper is what lets you conduct your little projects in that oversized laboratory of yours," Cain pointed out.

Inessa decided that now would be a good time to interrupt this little exchange, knowing from experience how long these squabbles normally lasted. "Now, now, boys. Don't we have more pressing matters we need to discuss?"

Daedalus responded by crossing his arms and turning away in annoyance. The sound of his tail could be heard from underneath the table as it flapped across the floor.

Cain scanned the room before he replied, "As much as I would like to get business underway, we are still missing a few people."

As if on cue, the door to the conference room slid open, revealing a rather flustered looking Julian Marcus. The Englishman seemed out of breath as he entered the room and dropped himself into of the chairs. "Sorry I'm late, loves. Lost track of the time."

"Last one to the table as usual, Marcus," the eccentric demon remarked.

Julian's eyebrows creased. "Well, if you had simply repaired my watch like I asked you to…"

"The watch in perfect working order. It's owner, on the other hand…"

"Ahem."

The sound of Cain clearing his throat caught both their attentions.

"Now that we're all here, we start with the status updates. Before we begin that, however… Nazo, would you mind giving us a report?"

Julian suddenly felt the slight breeze passing by his left and turned, nearly jumping in surprise when he realized that someone else had unknowingly entered the room. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed at the Asian man clad in black body armor that now stood a few feet away from him. "You enjoy scaring the crap out of me every time you show up, don't you?"

The new arrival paid him no heed and instead turned to give Cain a respectful bow. "Cain-sama, I have news regarding the two targets you were interested in," he started in a Japanese accent.

"Go on."

Nazo raised his head before proceeding. "Phantom has become active again. Our agents spotted him fighting with a ghost yesterday at the local mall."

Inessa's face produced a grin as her interest piqued. "That confirms that he's probably fully recovered from his battle with the Pyres."

"It does, doesn't it?" Cain agreed. "It may just be the right time to give our subject a little test."

"Oh, enough about this Phantom character," Daedalus interjected intolerantly. "You've given her enough guinea pigs to prod. What I want to know is the location of that device I requested almost a month ago."

Nazo ignored his outburst and continued his report to Cain. "As you know, the other object you requested had been difficult to find. After a failed attempt to retrieve it by another rival company, VladCo decided to move it to an undisclosed location."

"And you think you've found it?" Cain asked.

"Yes. We believe it has been hidden at one of Master's subsidiaries, Axion Labs; more specifically, their Amity Park branch."

A smile erupted on their leader's face as he processed the news. "Well, it seems that we'll be able to kill two birds with one stone. We'll be able to both retrieve the part and test Phantom's abilities in one fell swoop." He turned to Inessa as a plan began forming in his head. "Do you think your children are ready?"

"Oh, yes," she answered. "The tests I performed this morning showed their vitals were all green. My little ones are eager to how America would say 'get some action'"

"Excellent. I think we should send Isaac out for his analytical skills. He'll be able to gauge Phantoms abilities to see if they are worthy of our attention. And since they get along so well, I think Caitlin will make the perfect partner for him."

"Now hold on," Daedalus barged in, "You want to send my star assistant?"

"What's the matter, Daedalus?" Julian mocked, "Growing fond of the girl? That's not like you at all; you normally hate everyone."

"She's… tolerable and the only one of my assistants who can actually keep up with anything I say. I'm getting quite irritated repeating myself to those nincompoops you keep sending me. I won't be able to get anything done with those idiots if you send her on this mission."

"I'm sure you'll manage without her for just one night, my friend," the executive consoled. "Besides, if there is anything else of value at Axion, she'll be able to spot it; she is your apprentice, after all."

The chance of examining even more advance technology brought a sparkle in the demon's one natural eye. "I suppose," he conceded, though he still did not seem too happy about it. "She'll just have to pick up the slack once she returns."

Smiling, Cain nodded to Nazo, who bowed in return. "Keep us updated on any changes." He watched as the Asian man's figure seemed to blur and then disappear into thin air. "So tell me, Julian, how are things going with the scanning process?"

"Surprisingly enough, quite well," Julian replied, "Considering that he made the bloody contraption that's doing it." He nodded towards Daedalus's direction, eliciting a growl from the offended party. "We've got a few days to go, but we're almost done scanning the books from the old library into the central database."

"I don't think I've properly thanked you for the good work you did retrieving those books."

The sorcerer simply shook his head in humble denial. "Considering everything almost went to hell in a hand basket when old Xanthus showed up, I don't think any praise is needed. We were lucky to make it out of there without either he or the Titans knowing."

"True, but thanks to your quick thinking, not only did we get what we needed, but we've gained some valuable intel about both Phantom and Raven. All in all, it was well worth the risk." Cain clasped his hands as a wicked grin crossed his face. "As the old adage says, knowledge is power and with what we have now, we have the advantage. "

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Dude, are you alright?" Tucker asked Danny worriedly as they, along with Sam, walked over to Tucker's place. Danny's friends had arrived at his place midmorning, glad to see that he was doing physically better than when they had seen him last. The moment that they arrived, Danny had immediately suggested that they should spend the day together away from his house. Tucker would not have thought anything of it, except for the fact that Danny had an almost desperate look to his face that begged for escape.

"I'm fine, Tuck," Danny dismissed nonchalantly, not quite pulling off a smile.

Sam couldn't help but look at him oddly. "Are you sure? Cause for a guy whose cousin was just saved from an untimely death, you don't look too happy."

Wincing from his transparency, he sighed. "It's not that I'm not happy. Saving Dani's life took a lot off my shoulders. It's just that…" Danny hesitated. "It's nothing."

"Oh, no," Sam retorted, giving him a withering stare. "You're not giving us the silent treatment this time. Spill it."

After a few moments of silence and under the glare of his goth friend, the halfa relented. "Raven and I had a fight this morning."

His friends stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, worry clear on their faces. "Are you alright, man?" Tucker asked.

"I'm not really sure. I wouldn't call it life ending or anything like that but I'm not sure where we stand right now and frankly, I'm too scared right now to find out."

"Is that why you wanted to leave your house so badly?" Sam observed.

Danny hung his head low as he began to walk again. "I just needed to get away, you know? Clear my head and try to sort things out."

Sam and Tucker followed their friend, not saying anything for a few moments as they continued their journey to Tucker's house. When the silence became unbearable, it was Tucker who decided to break their collective reverie. "If it's something that you want to talk about, we're here to listen."

Danny stopped again and turned to his friends, noticing their concerned looks. The halfa felt a pang of guilt him when he realized just how apprehensive they were of his wellbeing. His initial plan was to find a way to sort things out on his own, though that notion was quickly being pushed aside to the back of his mind. "She was angry about last night," he admitted to them. "She thought that I was crazy for jumping into the chamber to try and rescue Dani."

His friends exchanged a look for a moment, as if exchanging thoughts without saying a word, before they turned back to Danny. "Well, we don't really blame her. I think we all nearly had a collective heart attack when you dove in there. You should have seen Sam; she pretty much- oof!" his train of thought was derailed by a elbow to the ribs by Sam.

"I think what Tucker is trying to say is that what happened last night was probably the craziest, most idiotic thing you've done since you got your ghost powers," she stated calmly, drawing a bewildered stare from the halfa. "The difference between her and us is that we're used to you, which I'm not quite sure is necessarily a good thing."

"That's just the way you are, man," Tucker chimed in. "You're always like that whenever any of us are in danger. It's not like we enjoy seeing you risking your butt like that, but we get why you do it."

Danny could feel another wave of remorse sweep over him as he realized how much grief his heroics had caused them over the years. Despite the troubling thoughts that coursed through his mind he couldn't help but smile at how lucky he was to have friends like them. He knew he didn't deserve either of them and he often wondered why they stuck around him despite how much trouble he seemed to get himself into. His mind then proceeded to Raven and how much he had put her through the short amount of time that he had known her. "What if… what if I scared her away? I mean, she doesn't really have a reason to stay now that Dani's cured. What if I screwed everything up with her?"

"Danny, you really are clueless, aren't you?" Sam said with a wry smile. "She wouldn't have been so angry at you if she didn't care."

"If that's the case, with the way Sam gets pissed off at you… oof!"

Sam's elbow once again found its way into Tucker's side, sending the techno geek off balance. She gave him a cold icy stare that would have given Danny's ice powers a run for their money, then stole a quick glance, hoping Danny didn't notice the blush that slowly creeped up her cheeks. She cleared her throat before she continued. "I'd suggest that you give her a little space to cool off."

Danny's lips soon formed into a smile that shone brightly from his relieved face. "You guys are awesome."

Tucker grinned back, thankful to see his friend in better spirits. "We know, we know."

The trio finally arrived to their destination, greeting Mrs. Foley as they entered the living room. They made a beeline straight upstairs to Tucker's room, which was as usual covered in all sorts of technical gadgets and gizmos.

Tucker began rummaging through the mess in search of something. "You guys are going to be psyched when I show you this." He pulled out a jewel case from under the mess and displayed it for his friends to see.

"The Doomed Expansion pack?" Sam remarked in a tone that showed she was not impressed. "I had this weeks ago."

"You did?" the African American teen exclaimed. "How? I got it the day it came out!"

"Beta-tester," she replied indifferently.

Tucker feigned betrayal at the news. "What's the point in having a friend who's loaded if they don't share in the wealth?"

"A girl has to have upper have the upper hand, doesn't she?" Sam smirked. "Are you going to keep on complaining or are we going to play?"

A grumble was Tucker's only reply as he slipped the disc into the drive of his PC.

"I'll be right back, guys. I got to use the little halfa's room." Danny got up and headed out the door to the hallway bathroom, leaving Tucker and Sam alone.

"I'm impressed," Tucker said out of the blue.

"Impressed? It wasn't that hard to get the game early…"

"No, about Danny. You're taking the whole 'Danny has a girlfriend' thing better than I thought. I was at least expecting some fireworks."

Sam never took her gaze off of the screen as she responded. "Danny's my friend, Tucker. All I want is to see him happy. Nothing is wrong with that."

Tucker simply shrugged, then began to mash buttons furiously as the gaming session began. Sam followed suit, though the grip of her controller was much tighter.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Is it time yet?"

Night fell across the city of Amity Park, marking the end of another day and the beginning of a new night. On the outskirts of downtown Amity Park, on a hill overlooking the technical research facility known as Axion Labs, two figures stayed in the cover of trees, keeping a vigil of the city. The one who had spoken was occupying one of the higher branches of the one of the trees, her feet dangling almost playfully as she held a pair of binoculars to her face. A shock of spiky blonde hair tied in a ponytail adorned the teenaged-girl's head and a tight, jet black jumpsuit covered in yellow lines that resembled traces of a circuit board covered nearly every inch of her body. Placed on strategic parts of her suit were round, metal studs, which mainly lined on her arms and legs.

"I wish you'd stop asking me that," the other figure asked from the ground below in an irritated tone. He, too, surveyed the layout, calculating all the points of entry and going over the schematics he had committed to memory. Like the girl, his face looked no older than seventeen, though his stature said otherwise as he stood almost seven feet in height with extremely broad shoulders and an extremely muscular physique. Like the girl, he wore a tight jumpsuit, though his arms remained uncovered, save for gauntlets where covered his forearms. Instead of the trace lines that covered his counterpart's suit, three V-shaped bars in a dark orange color covered the front of his suit. "Binoculars, please," he requested.

His partner complied, swinging down till she hung from the branch she had been sitting on by her legs. She let the device fall into his awaiting hand. "Do you think he's going to show, Zak?" she asked him in an excited tone.

"If you mean Phantom, then yes. There is a very high probability that he'll show up tonight. That's one of one of our primary missions, remember?" He then glanced upwards, a slight scowl on his face. "And you know we use codenames on missions, Sparx. On the job, you call me Vector."

She replied with a huge grin. "Roger, Vec!"

He gave an annoyed moan and then redirected his concentration on the task at hand. He formulated in his mind the best route to the main lab, as well as where the main panel to Axion's security system was. "You do remember what the plan is, correct?"

"Yeah, yeah," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I go in, short circuit the security system and get the gear while you stay outside and keep the ghost boy busy. Easy Peasy, Vec. I don't know why you're so worried." Her eyes began to suddenly sparkle as a thought came to mind. "Ohh, I can't wait to see what kind of gadgets they have in there! I wonder if they have any energy resonance stabilizers in there. I've been looking for one of those for ages and they're so hard to come by…" she continued to ramble on excitedly, listing off various names of parts and technology she hoped to find inside the building they were preparing to raid.

Vector shook his head incredulously. "You aren't taking this seriously, Sparx."

"Of course I am!" she exclaimed, shocked that he'd question her commitment. She let go of the branch she had been still hanging from, dropping from twenty feet yet landing perfectly as if it were only two. "When it comes to tech, I'm nothing but serious!" She held up her fist for emphasis, a fire burning deep in her eyes.

"As long as you stick to the plan and not try to steal the whole damn building, we should be good."

"Yes, sir!" she stated, giving him a mock salute, followed by a goofy smile. "Hey, Vec, you better not hog Phantom all to yourself. Save some for me: I have a few moves I want to try out on him!" She punched the air enthusiastically.

"I'll try to contain myself, though you may be out of luck," he replied. "I don't think Phantom is going to be much of a challenge compared to us."

Sparx gave him a thoughtful look. "I don't know about that. The boss said that he'd be tricky. Anyway, I bet the others are pretty jealous that we get to fight him first, especially Nerissa. She must be throwing a hissy fit right now."

"I'd imagine so," he responded distractedly. "I think its adequately dark enough for us to begin the operation."

"Alright! Let's go…what was the plan again?"

Vector let out a low growl.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the original characters I've introduced. Sparx is going to be my favorite to write. The best way I'd explain her personality is that she seems to be always running on high voltage, hence her name (which is a hint to her powers). Vector is the calm, calculating type who likes to plan things out before he jumps into anything, a stark contrast to the always hyper Sparx.**

**Going back to the beginning of the chapter, I introduced a few members of Cain's special R&D (Research and Development) Division, Daedalus and Nazo. Daedalus is basically your eccentric, pompous mad scientist, except for the fact that he's a demon with cybernetic implants. His full name is Daedalus Ex Machina, which is a play of a few words. The name Daedalus comes from Greek mythology: he was a great inventor who created a lot of things, including the Labyrinth. Ex machine comes from the term 'deus ex machina', which means "god from a machine'. It's basically a theatre term that refers to a solution a big problem that seems to come out of the blue. I just thought it sounded cool, so I had to use it somewhere.**

**Nazo's name is Japanese for 'mystery' which he pretty much is. He's basically Cain's eyes and ears, keeping track of various things his employer is interested in.**

**Hope you can wait till the next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 13: The Break In

**Author's Notes: Argh! So sorry about this. This was supposed to go up sooner than this but life sorta happened. I hope you guys enjoy this little chapter.

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Lost and Found Chapter 13: The Break in

It was later that night when Danny finally made it home after spending the day with his friends and he was more or less exhausted, which was probably an after effect of his recovery from the events of the night before. The trio had spent most of the day doing relatively nothing productive and yet it had been the most fun Danny had in quite a while. Just hanging out with his friends had felt great and he wondered why he was so eager to throw that all away just months ago. Furthermore, the time he had spent with them had indeed done its job in clearing his mind after his argument with Raven, though the memory still lingered in the recesses of his mind. Danny was a little reluctant to return home but knew that he didn't have much choice, especially when it came to Dani's safety and any impending schemes from Vlad.

As he stepped through the Fenton's front door he gave off a massive yawn and stretched out his arms lazily. "I'm home," he shouted idly to no one in particular. Rubbing his eyes, the young hero began the seemingly long trek up the stairway to the second floor of his home, longing for the cool sheets of his bed, which was becoming more and more enticing by the moment. Danny made it halfway up the stairs when a sudden cry broke him out of his exhaustion and sent his body into a state of swift alert. "Danielle?" he called worriedly after recognizing the source of the cry and raced the up the stairs at a breakneck pace, heading straight for her room once he reached the top.

"Danielle, where…" the halfa began before slamming into something unexpectedly which caused him to stumble, causing falling onto his rear. "What the…" Danny looked around for the cause of his accident, to find that it was none other than Dani herself, who herself had fallen down thanks to their collision. Danny brought himself to his feet, outstretching his hand to help her do the same. "Dani, what happened? What's wrong?"

The girl looked up at her cousin's hand as if it were the first time she noticed he was there with her. Her eyes shone brightly with recognition and then apprehension as she quickly scurried to her feet. "Quick, you have to hide me!" she cried out, looking over her shoulder warily.

"Wait, what's going on?" he asked with bewilderment written all over his face.

"Danielle?" a very familiar voice called from the girl's room, causing Danielle to utter a small shriek.

Danny watched as his cousin quickly faded from view and could feel her grab the back of his shirt as she hid from whatever was the source of her distress. He began to smirk mischievously as the pieces of the current situation slowly fell into place; he had a pretty good idea that everything would be revealed shortly

"Danielle, where are…" Jazz uttered as she exited Dani's room in search of the girl when she nearly bumped into her brother like Dani had done just moments before. "Oh, Danny! Danielle has passed by here, has she?"

Danny could feel his cousin's grip of his shirt tighten ever so slightly, telegraphing to him that she definitely didn't want to be found. "Dani?" he asked innocently and quickly stifled a smile before he continued. "I just got home, so I haven't bumped into her yet. Is something wrong?"

Jazz's face wore a frustrated look as she replied. "I could have sworn she went this way… anyway, I was digging through my old stuff and I found some of my old clothes when I was about her age." Draped on her arm was one of the outfits she wore when she was younger, which didn't look much different than her current attire. "I figured she'd wear it for the time being considering how worn down the clothes we found her in were. I tried to get her to try one but she just ran off."

The urge to laugh was becoming unbearable for Danny as he tried to hide his amusement. "Frankly, I don't blame her, Jazz. I know you're excited about having Danielle here and everything but turning her into a mini-you probably isn't the best thing. One Jazz is enough for my taste."

The older Fenton sibling gave her brother a hard stare. "I was just doing her a favor, Danny. Knowing Dad, he'd probably want to dress her in a bright orange, oversized jumpsuit."

The mental image brought on by Jazz's description caused both halfas to shudder slightly. "Not a pretty picture," Danny admitted. "We should probably take her clothes shopping or something tomorrow and get her some clothes she actually likes, not some hand-me-downs."

"There is nothing wrong with what I wear," she countered resentfully.

"Just the fact that it's your thing. I'm sure Dani wants to wear something to suit her own tastes and not be your oversized Barbie doll. Don't your psychology books talk about encouraging kids to define their own personality?"

Jazz looked resigned. "You do make a good point. I guess I did get carried away. It's just that I've never had a little sister before and I want to make sure I do a good job at properly developing her emotional and psychological growth, especially at the age she's in right now."

Danny grinned. "Well, it's her first time having an older sister, too, so you're both learning. Just give her a little bit of space and let her adjust to the total weirdness that is the Fenton household."

"I'm actually surprised of how insightful you've become all of sudden, Danny," Jazz replied, clearly impressed by her brother's wisdom.

"Well, I speak from the experience of being the younger sibling to an older, overbearing sister." He deftly dodged a shirt Jazz had thrown in his direction.

Jazz gave him another glare, though smiled at the same time. "Smart mouth. Anyway, I better get some sleep tonight if I want to be ready for shopping tomorrow. Goodnight, Danny. If you see Danielle, tell her to be ready. Mom hasn't been shopping in a while and I think she might go a little overboard."

"I'm pretty sure she won't be the only one," Danny muttered under his breath as he watched his sister head to her room and overheard her muttering how cute Dani would look in a headband. The moment the door to the redheaded Fenton's room shut, a sigh of relief sounded from behind the older halfa. He turned to find that his cousin had made herself visible again and sported a look a gratitude.

"I owe you one," she said with a grin.

Danny wore a matching smile. "That's Jazz for you. She means well, but sometimes even she bing a Fenton."

"I'm not used to people paying attention to me, that's all," she said in an unexpectedly somber tone. "When you're out on your own, running from crazed fruit loops, you try not to get noticed. Even when… even back then, when I was at _his_ house, he wouldn't notice me unless there was something he wanted me to do for him."

Danny placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing full well whom she was referring to. "Well, things are different now, Dani. We might all be on the eccentric side but if there is one thing I'm sure of is that you definitely belong here. We're not going to let anything happen to you, alright?" He watched as the young girl nodded with tears welling up in her eyes. Danny proceeded to ruffle her hair, earning a squeal. "I think you should probably turn in. Jazz looked like she had big plans for tomorrow, which is probably a bad thing for you. You're going to need all the strength that you can get."

Dani paled slightly and her eyes seemed to plead to him. "Can't I hang out with you tomorrow?"

"Hey, I had to deal her for sixteen years. I think it's fair to let someone else deal with her for a while, don't you?"

The younger halfa crossed her arms and gave him a scowl, sticking her tongue cheekily. She then closed in, giving her cousin a quick peck on the cheek before heading to her room. "Good night, cous."

"Good night." Danny replied as he proceeded to his own room for some much needed shuteye while yawning for the umpteenth time. He stopped during his journey; glancing back to the end of the hallway to Raven's room and debated as to whether or not to talk to her. He furrowed his eyebrow exasperatingly and let out a huge sigh as he continued to his room. "Tomorrow," he murmured to himself. He was absolutely going to straighten things out with her tomorrow, no matter what. For now, he was going to heed his friends' advice and give her some space to think, something he himself still needed to do. "Goodnight, Rae," he whispered as he closed the door of his bedroom

VGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVG

"Special delivery," Valerie Gray chimed as she entered her father's office inside the depths of Axion Labs, carrying a paper bag with the Nasty Burger logo blazoned on it in one hand and a tray of drinks in the other.

"Val?" Damn Gray asked, surprised by his daughter's arrival. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm bringing you dinner, duh," she stated matter-of-factly and pecked her father on the cheek. "Can't a girl treat her dad to a greasy, artery clogging meal while he works all hours of the night?"

Mr. Gray began to grin. "Well if you put it that way, thanks for the meal, V. You really shouldn't have."

"Well, I figured you'd have better luck making sure I wasn't getting into trouble if I was close-by."

He let off an frustrated breath. "Valerie, that isn't fair. I only want to make sure you're safe."

"And what safer place than the impregnable Axion Labs" she replied sarcastically. "Is it me or did the security system get a major upgrade since the last time I visited you? The guards definitely gave me a harder time at the front gate. Only reason I was even able to get in was because they escorted me over to your office after I promised I wouldn't leave your side."

Mr. Gray turned to focus on the array of flat-panel displays that hung in front of his desk, each one showing a different part of the facility. "Well, we keep some pretty valuable stuff that a lot of people would love to get their hands on. After Phantom and that computer ghost got in here, Mr. Masters wanted this place impenetrable from both humans and ghosts."

Valerie glanced at the different screens, noticing that all of the screens changed every fifteen seconds or so to alternate in between certain areas; all except one, which displayed a room that housed a single pedestal. On the stand was some sort of box that Valerie couldn't recognize and surrounding it was a nasty looking force field. "Does the security have anything to do with that project you've been working on?" she asked, pointing to the screen.

"Technically, I don't know what it is," Damon admitted. "It came in from one of our other facilities a week ago. My project is basically to make sure that thing doesn't go anywhere. Mr. Masters was pretty adamant on the issue. He visited us personally to make sure everything was in working order."

"Sounds like it's something really important," she observed. "Makes you wonder what it is."

"I'd rather not know, if it's all the same to you. In my line of work, something that important can easily be something pretty dangerous. The less I know about it, the better." He took a sip of his soda before continuing. "Whatever it is, it has Mr. Masters worried and that makes me worry." He took a sidelong glance at his daughter. "Maybe it wasn't a good idea for you to come over, pumpkin."

"Now you're really being paranoid, Dad," she replied. "I can take care of myself you know."

Damon simply stared back at her with a look that expressed he wasn't all that convinced.

Valerie began to frown at her father's lack of confidence in her. "Seriously, Dad. I'll be fine. I won't be looking for trouble but if it does come, I can handle it."

"All the same, I'd rather…" Midway through his sentence the buzz of the overhead fluorescent lights, which had previously been too faint to detect, suddenly intensified into an ear piercing whine that caused both father and daughter to cover their ears. The brightness of the lights intensified along with the sound and quickly climaxed as each tube exploded, sending a rainfall of glass and sparks on the two occupants. The sound and light show ended, leaving the room in total darkness and filling the air with the acrid smell of burning metal and plastic.

"What the heck happened?" Valerie's voice wavered hesitantly as she tried to adjust to the sudden lack of light. Her eyes stung from the smoke and her feet were unsteady from the attack on her senses but otherwise she was relatively unscathed. "Daddie?" she asked suddenly as her thoughts turned to her father. "Dad? Where are you?"

"I'm right here, sweetie." Like his daughter, he was still a little dazed from what had occurred. "What about you. Are you doing ok, Val?"

The girl nodded her head, though she realized a bit too late that it was a futile gesture, given that her father couldn't actually see her. "I'm ok, I guess. Any idea what just happened?"

"Something that shouldn't even be possible. I think something just overloaded the power grid for the building."

"So, I'm guessing that's not a good thing," Valerie stated sarcastically.

"It shouldn't even happen. The power to the whole facility is tightly regulated and protected against power surges. Some of the electronics we have running here is extremely sensitive, so we don't feed directly from the city's power; instead we have a system that stores, cleans, and redistributes the power to the different labs and other systems." Damon rubbed the bridge of his nose as he ran a rough estimate through his head. "Nothing short of a freak lightning strike should be able to take out the grid."

The girl got the gist of her father's explanation. "So you're saying we got hit by lightning?" The moment the words left her lips she remembered that on her way from work to Axion that she noticed how beautiful the moon looked in the cloudless sky.

"Even if a bolt of lightning that strong had hit us, the whole building is grounded to prevent something like this from occurring. The only way for lightning to have this type of effect would be if it hit out main power station…" Stopping midsentence, he reached for the radio hanging from his belt in order to confirm the theory that had just popped into his head. "Echo seven, this is the control room. Can you hear me?" Both he and his daughter winced as the room was suddenly filled loud static. "I repeat, Echo seven please respond. I need to know the status of the power station." He once again received no answer. "Damn, they're blocking us…"

Shaken by her father's language, Valerie felt the hairs of her neck stand on end. She had never heard him swear, even when he got angry so to hear him do so in this situation was not only jarring, but also very telling of the situation at hand. "Dad?"

Before he replied, the distant of a generator kicking in reverberated throughout the complex. The room was once again bathed in light, though the hue was that of the crimson emergency lights that hung on the walls. "Good, the backup power has kicked in." He turned towards his daughter with a determined look she'd rarely seen him use. "Valerie, I want you to stay here. Don't leave this room for anything."

"What's going on?" she protested as she watched him head for the door. "Where are you going?"

He stopped to turn to his daughter. "Val, if there is ever a time I want you to listen to me, it's now. Axion Labs is most likely under attack and they are probably after whatever that thing Mr. Masters sent us was. I don't know how they did it but by taking out the electrical grid, they've pretty much taken out most of the countermeasures we have here. The only things that are stopping them from getting that thing are the guards and the shield surrounding it that is feeding off the backup power."

"Then take me with you," she protested. "I can help you fight these guys off, especially if it's a gh…" her voice choked on the last word.

"You're staying here and that's final, young lady. It isn't open to discussion. They won't head in this direction, so you'll be safe." With that, Mr. Gray headed out the door, leaving his daughter behind.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Damn, this is boring," Echo Seven proclaimed suddenly, drawing out raised eyebrow from his partner, Echo Eight. The two were assigned to protect Axion Lab's outer perimeter, a job most of the guards of facility found to be a menial task at best and were making their way to the back of the facility to where the power station was located. "I can't believe we're stuck with this. We should be inside, protecting that thing that has the boss so spooked."

"You're kidding, right?" Echo Eight responded, shifting the grip of the weapon he was holding. "I'd rather be out here where it's safe than protecting that thing."

Echo Seven gave a subdued chuckle. "Out here is safe? How do you figure? I would have thought that being protected by the automated defenses inside would be better than sitting out here."

"I'm just saying that if someone comes after it, they aren't going to bother with us. They'd head straight inside to where all the good stuff is…"

"And if they are dumb enough to do that, they'll get a face full of laser from our turrets," Echo Seven finished.

His partner shook his head. "The kind of people who are crazy enough to even try something like that have their ways, you know. I have a cousin who used to work as a guard at one of those tech firms in Jump City. The place used to be hit every other week by crazies and freaks. Robots, monsters, super villains, you name it."

"None of which we have here."

"Well, what about ghosts? We've had plenty of those the past couple of years. Remember how many times we got hit last year?"

Echo Seven shook his head. "You worry too much, man. That's why we retrofitted the security system in the first place. No one, not even a ghost, will make it past the front door."

"All I'm saying is that if someone does come, I'd rather be out here than stand in its way inside," Echo Eight explained.

"Why are you even a guard to…"

"Uh, excuse me…"

The sound of a new voice caught their attentions immediately and caused them to turn to the speaker in question.

Standing a few feet away from the guards, Sparx casually waved and bore an enthusiastic grin. "Hi, guys!" she greeted gregariously

The two Echoes glanced at each other before Seven responded. "Excuse me, miss, but this is a restricted area."

"I'm sorry, but I'm sort of lost," she replied and smiled sheepishly.

Echo Eight adjusted the firearm that hung from his neck into a less relaxed position. He had been getting a weird vibe from this girl and he wasn't about to ignore his instincts. "How did you even get here? There's an electrical fence surrounding the whole area."

"Oh, it wasn't that hard," Sparx spoke up, waving her hand dismissively. "I just jumped over it. Nothing major."

"Jumped… over?" They both looked at her dumbfounded, unsure if they should take her claim as actual fact.

"Anyway, I was wondering if you can help me," she continued, oblivious to the stares her explanation had created. "I was wondering if you can help me find the power sub-relay station. I'm actually kinda embarrassed… I know it's around here somewhere but I just can't seem to find it. Vec wanted me to short it out before we go in and grab some tech… ooh, I hope they have some nice goodies in there…"

As she went off on a tangent, sentries finally found their wits and immediately aimed their weapons at her. "I'm going to have to ask you to lie face down on the ground and put your hands on your head, now."

Sparx blinked, at first seeming to be genuinely surprised over the new turn of events and then proceeded the slap herself on the forehead. "Dang it, I did it again, didn't I?" She gave them another smile, though this time it almost seemed apologetic. "Sorry but Vec would get really steamed with me if I got caught." Her eyes began to glow an eerie electric blue as she regarded the now shaken guards.

"Put your hands in the air, now!" one of them commanded, a bit of fear clear in his voice as they both cocked their weapons at the mysterious girl. In a flash she was gone and appeared moments later crouched in front of Echo Seven as her fist connected with his gut and a jolt surged through his body. He doubled over immediately, despite the fact that he and his partner wore body armor that should have protected him from the impact. Before Echo Eight could even take proper aim, Sparx's leg snaked into the air and slammed into his head, knocking him out cold.

Both unconscious bodies fell to the ground with two resounding thumps as Sparx lowered her leg and surveyed her surrounds. "Great, now where am I going to find…" she stopped when she finally spotted her target. "Duh. Why didn't I see it there before?" The electric blonde walked over to the metallic structure that regulated the building's power. "Now, how am I going to do this? Do I hack into the mainframe and shut everything down that way? Or…" She grinned as she chose her other option.

She took a stance in front of the relay station, pulling back her right fist and closing her eyes as she prepared herself. The area around her began to glow as sparks of electricity started to dance about her body, jumping to and from the bolts that decorated her jumpsuit. The electricity made its way to her hand, where it crackled loudly as she collected more and more power into her fist. Satisfied with the amount of charge she had built up, Sparx swung her arm and impaled it into the electrical station, pouring it all into the power grid. Shortly afterwards her attack's effects made themselves knows as various small explosions could be heard at Axion Labs, followed by the lights extinguishing all together.

"All right!" she cheered. "Now all I have to do is…" she thought for a moment, but drew up a blank. "Aww, darn it! I forgot to ask them where the main vault was! Oh, man, Vec is going to kill me if he finds out I forgot where to go…"

"Vector calling Sparx," a voice called from the earpiece she wore. "Sparx, do you copy?"

"V-Vector!" she replied a little too hastily. "What's up?"

"Confirm your status," he asked, his voice all business. "I'm assuming that fireworks display was your handiwork?"

Sparx grinned. "Well you said to make some noise, so I had a little fun."

"Well, you did a good job. Normally, I stay away from a … flashy entrance, but if we are to confront Phantom, we'll need to draw him out."

"Roger that! You're the boss," she replied nervously.

"Anyway, proceed with phase two. I'll stay out here and wait for out special guest to show."

"Right. Phase two. About that…"

Vector sighed. "Did you want me to walk you through the layout over the comm?"

"No! Of course not. I remember the way… I think."

"Sparx…"

She cringed at his tone. "Okay, maybe I need a little help."

"I swear, you know how to put together a force shield generator and yet you can't remember a simple set of directions…" he grumbled.

"I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter. Just meet me at the front entrance. Once we clear the way you head inside while I wait for Phantom. And follow my directions to the letter. I don't want you to get lost in there."

"I'll meet you there," she replied. Sparx waited for the beep that indicated he was off the comm channel and then let out a breath of relief. "Can't screw up my first mission," she said to herself as a look of determination began to gleam in her eyes. "Vec is counting on me." As she turned to the direction of the main entrance, electrical energy began to visibly dance around her once again, this time heading down her body till it reached her boots. She bent her knees for balance as sparks began to fly from under the soles of her boots and moments later her feet were levitating a few inches off the ground in top of a layer of electrically charged air.

"Time for the sparks to fly!" she called as she shot forward, using a skating motion as she propelled herself towards her destination and left a trail of burnt grass in her wake.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

It was quiet in the Fenton household that night and all of its occupants were taking advantage of that silence by catching up some much needed rest. Since their return to Amity Park, the Fentons had seen very little ghost activity which was good news for a certain halfa who was now resting soundly in the comfort of his own bed. This was probably the first time Danny had a good night's sleep that wasn't a battle-induced coma and he was enjoying it… that was until the shrill sound of an electronic device woke him from his slumber.

"Damn…" he swore as he stirred in his bed. He reached over to his nightstand, grabbed his cell phone, and flipped it open. "This better be important." The halfa waited for a response for a few moments though all he heard was silence. "Hello?" He took a look at the phone to find that it wasn't active. "What the…"

The beeping continued, though it certainly not coming from his phone. Confused and still somewhat drowsy, Danny took a look around the room until his eyes met with the offending culprit: the yellow piece of plastic and metal that was his Titan Communicator. Just as he about to reach for the device, a knock could be heard at his door.

"Danny?"

Once he recognized the voice, he suddenly felt a knot clench in his stomach and hesitated before responding. "Give me a sec." He got out of bed, grabbed his communicator, and headed to his door, taking a deep breath before opening it.

Standing on the other side was Raven, who had an impassive look on her face that said she wasn't there for a social call. She held up her communicator, which had also been beeping. "We have work to do."

"Is that what's going on?" he asked and then furrowed his eyebrows as a thought came to mind. "Does this mean that we have to go back to Jump City?"

She shook her head. "The communicator is designed to pick up local emergencies. There's a break in at a local tech company. Some place called Axion Labs."

Danny's eyes flickered in recollection. "Axion, huh? Figures."

"Been there before?"

He nodded. "More than once. Not all of them experiences I'd like to call friendly. Do we know who's causing trouble?"

"Not sure. A silent alarm was tripped about an hour ago and then all communications was cut off. Since you're a Titan now, they want you to look into it."

"I guess its back to no sleep at night." He said sardonically.

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

Both Danny and Raven turned to the new voice and found Danielle, who was already in ghost form and grinning widely.

Danny took a look a look at his cousin and his eyes narrowed. "Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

"What and miss all the fun? So, are we going to stand here and talk or are we going to go and kick some butt?"

"We aren't going anywhere," her cousin replied. "You're staying home while Raven and I go out."

"What?" Dani exclaimed. "Why? I can help."

"You just got well, Dani. It's better that you sit this one out."

"But Mrs. Fenton said today that I was fine!"

"No buts. You need to get some sleep, got it?" The older halfa gave her a stern look that showed that he wasn't backing down from this.

She sighed as the rings overcame her body, returning her back to her human form. "Fine."

Danny nodded in approval. "Good. Let's go, Raven." Transforming himself, the ghost boy ascended, phasing through the ceiling, followed by Raven who did the same, leaving Dani behind.

"I'm not sick anymore. Why can't he see that I can help?" she whispered under her breath. "Fine. I'll just have to show him I can, that's all."

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**AN: Duh Duh Duuuuh. Trouble is a brewing in Amity Park. Danny and Raven are up against two new foes. What do these villains want that's so valuable? How will our heroes fair? And what happens when Dani and Valerie enter the mix? Find out in the next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 14: An Unstopppable Force

**Author's Notes: Hello, my fans and faithful. There are a lot of reasons why this chapter took so long to get to you: Finals, the holiday rush (work at retail) and lack of sleep were some contributing factors; that and I wrote the chapter three times. There was one part that I just kept getting stuck on. Luckily, I had the aid of my trusty beta, Cordria (yay Cori) to help me out of my creative blockade.**

**One thing to note: I've added a new character that is inspired from one of my buddy fanfic authors out there: Michael JJ of "Adjustments" fame. He not only graciously donated his first name, but he also made up a last name for the character as well. He plays a bit role now but I'm hoping to give him a bigger role later on in the story.**

**And now, without further adieu, the first chapter of the New Year!!!

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Lost and Found Chapter 14: Unstoppable Force…

The flight to Axion was an uncomfortably quiet one for the two heroes as an awkward silence hung between the two. Danny led the way to their destination since he'd been there on more than one occasion and stole a number of glances over his shoulder at Raven. As when she arrived at his room earlier, the sorceress had a dispassionate expression that conveyed nothing of her current emotional state and Danny wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole situation. They continued this for a while before Danny couldn't take the silence anymore and stopped midflight, landing on a nearby building and turning to her abruptly.

"Are you still mad at me?" Danny asked after deciding to go with a direct approach.

Raven looked surprised by his straightforwardness, though her face only showed it for a few seconds before her expressionless mask returned. "Danny, we don't have time for this. In case you haven't notice, we sort of have a mission to complete."

"Well, it's going to have to wait," the halfa replied with a tone that said he wasn't backing down from this confrontation. "Before we go into anything, I want to know what's going on between us… if there is still an 'us'."

Raven could see the raw determination in his neon green eyes as they shone brightly in the darkness of the night and she couldn't help but get sucked in. She finally let out a large sigh and shook her head in defeat. "I'm not mad. I'm just… frustrated." She turned away to hide the troubled look in her eyes. "Danny, I know that you care and that you want to protect your family and friends. But sometimes I wish that you'd take better care of yourself. I don't know… I don't know what I'd do if we lost you…"

"Rae, I…" Danny stuttered into silence, unable to find the right words to say to her when he suddenly recalled something that he had said to her weeks ago. "Rae, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't keep that promise to you… that I wouldn't cause you to cry. It's just that sometimes… I want to protect everyone so badly that I don't think; I can't think."

"You can't always rush into everything, Danny. There are consequences to everything you do, especially to those who care about you. You can't protect anyone if you get yourself killed."

The truth of Raven's words struck home as he solemnly looked down. "You're right. I promise that I'll be more careful." He hesitated before he continued. "I don't want to make you worry about me."

"I wouldn't have to worry about you if you didn't always get yourself into trouble," she replied in a more lighthearted tone. "I may be able to fix you up, but I can only do so much."

Danny smiled at her teasing and was glad that the tense moment between them had passed. "Just to make sure we're on the same page… we're still together… aren't we?"

Her response was a kiss on the cheek. "Just as long as you don't try and get yourself killed. The next time you do anything crazy like that again, if it doesn't kill you, I will."

"I'll try to remember that," he replied with a nervous laugh. Though he was pretty sure she was just joking, something in her eyes told him otherwise and he had already learned from experience that it wasn't a good idea to get a girl with magical powers angry.

"Now that we have that out of the way, which one of your usual bad guys do you think is causing trouble?"

Danny took a moment to think of a response. "A couple of them come to mind. It might be Cujo."

Recognition flashed on Raven's face. "Cujo?"

"Ghost of one of the dogs who used to guard the place. Cute little guy half the time, but caused a lot of damage the last time he showed up. He's sort of the reason Valerie hates me…. hates Phantom so much." Danny looked down guiltily, gaining a sympathetic glance from Raven. "Other than him, most likely suspect is Technus. He's you typical longwinded bad guy, always talking about taking over the world's technology. He might have found something in there he wants to use for a new battle suit."

"I sense a pattern with the ghosts you fight. Skulker is obsessed with hunting, Box Ghost with… boxes. Technus with electronics."

"Vlad with my mom. Typical ghost behavior. They all have something they obsess over. Haven't really found a ghost that didn't have one."

"Present company included, I'm sure," Raven commented with a grin.

Danny gave her a sour look. "Haha. Anyway, the only other option I could think of is that it's a trap."

"A trap?"

"Yeah. Axion got bought out by Vlad over a year ago," the halfa explained. "Could be that Vlad is just drawing me out so that he can get to Danielle while I'm busy dealing with whatever he has cooked up for me. Not that I'm worried about that. I activated the ghost shield on the house right when we left, so he shouldn't get to her there."

Nodding her head, Raven went through the options in her head. "If that's the case, Vlad or otherwise, they'll be expecting you. And if we're lucky, they won't know about me."

"We can catch them by surprise," Danny said with a smile, catching on to her train of thought.

"Exactly. You go in alone while I surprise them from behind. "

"Smart and beautiful," he complimented. "I am so lucky to have a girlfriend like you."

"You won't be so lucky if you happen to die out there." Raven began her ascent. "Now let's get going before they get away."

VGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVG

Damon Gray, with firearm in hand, made his way through the dimly lit hallways of his workplace carefully and kept his eyes and ears open for any sort of trouble. The technician had tried numerous times to get a hold of the various members of his security team, but had little success in communicating with them. The two-way radios should have worked regardless of the main power so there were only two explanations: either something was causing interference or there was no one to contact.

His mind would periodically wander to the safety and wellbeing of his daughter back at his office though he tried to shake off any doubt. He knew that other than the vault, his office was probably the safest place to be, just as long as she listened and stayed put. She would listen to him, wouldn't she? He had noticed that despite the doubt over Phantom, ever since she was saved from those ghosts a few weeks ago, a little bit of that stubborn fire had returned; the one that had shone brightly in her eyes whenever someone had mentioned ghosts and more specifically the white haired boy known as Phantom. It was an aspect of his daughter he actually kind of missed, but he knew it was also a part of her that got her into a lot of trouble.

After a few moments of contemplating, Damon had almost talked himself into turning around to make sure that Valerie was indeed safe and not in trouble, whether that of her own making or otherwise, when a set of heavy footsteps broke his train of thought and tensed every muscle in his body. He cocked the weapon at the sound and slowly made his way down to the next corner, readying himself for anything as he carefully peered around it. Relaxing his grip, he felt some anxiety leak out of his body as he made out a few familiar figures.

"Mr. Gray?" the guard designated as Delta One asked as he too lowered his weapon. He removed the standard issued helmet he and the others wore, revealing the short brown hair and relatively youthful looking face of Michael Sinclair, one of Damon's top men. Behind him were a number of others, who looked equally relieved at seeing Mr. Gray. "Are we glad to see you. We were hoping you had any idea at what was going on."

"Actually, I was hoping you had any intel," Damon admitted. "I've been in the dark, literally, about the status of the facility. After the power went out and the backup kicked in, I haven't been able to contact anyone over the radios."

Michael looked concerned at his superior's news or lack thereof and turned as he motioned him to follow. "That isn't good. We haven't had much luck getting in touch with any of the other teams as well. Whoever is attacking is sure doing a good job at hitting us where it hurts." He pointed further down the hall to a large set of metallic doors and in front of it the green glow of an anti-ghost shield. "The backup power is protecting the critical areas facility, including the mystery package. My squad has set up a perimeter around the entrance to the main storage locker. If they want what I think they want, they'll have to come here to get it."

"Good assessment. How many men do you have?"

"The seven of us, not counting you, sir. I sent two on recon to see if they could get some reinforcements from the other parts of building, but I haven't heard from them since." A look of concern crossed the squad leader's face as he thought of the condition of his men.

Damon gave him a sympathetic smile at his younger colleague, fully understanding how he felt about the situation. He turned to the door, resolve playing on his face. "Right now, our top priority is this door. We have to guard the contents of the next room as best as we possibly can. However, if worse comes to worse, your lives are more important than anything that could possibly be on the other side of this door. They aren't paying any of us enough to die here, so I better not see any of you kick the bucket, or I'll fire you all myself."

The sound of chuckling was their reply to his speech as the collective tension that seemed to have a hold on them melted away. They all trusted and respected him and had faith in the fact that he valued their lives more than the technology they were hired to protect. The men made their way to their posts, alert and ever vigilante of their surrounding s as they awaited whoever or whatever was so eager to break in. Michael chose to stay next to Mr. Gray and turned to speak to him, "So, is Valerie okay?"

The worried father couldn't help but grin. "You were the one who let her in, weren't you?"

"Guilty as charged. She was pretty adamant about coming to see you and, well, can't really say no to her when she is that persistent. Of course, if I knew all of this was going to happen, I would have sent her the way she came."

"Wasn't your fault, though next time I would like a little warning." He gave the guard a good-natured look. "She's in my office, the safest place to be right now, ironically enough. With the main power and security system down, they won't have any need to go there. The problem is her staying there…"

"Do you want me to send a man over there to keep an eye on her?"

Before Damon could respond, a peculiar sound grasped both their attention; a very high pitched whining sound mixed with the crackling of electrical energy. Every firearm pointed in the direction of the sound, which grew louder as its source came closer to them until it finally came within sight and rendered most of them speechless. The men all starred in confusion as a teenage girl skated into view, skidding to a stop a few feet from them before giving them all a cheery smile and a wave.

"Hi!"

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

The empty courtyard in front of the Axion Labs building was quiet when Danny arrived there, a fact that somewhat unnerved him as he began his search for any sort of trouble or danger. The halfa couldn't sense any ectoplasmic activity in the area and he wasn't sure if that was entirely good news. After doing a once over of the grounds, his eyes made their way to the front entrance and he did a double take of the scene before him: the front sliding doors that were the entrance to the facility were ripped clear of their railings. He gave a low whistle showing he was somewhat impressed by the level of damage, though the sight launched his senses to an even more heightened state of alert.

"Probably not a ghost," he spoke aloud, making an evaluation of the scene. "A ghost would have just phased through the door to get in." His gloved hand touched one of the partially warped door and then took a peek through the partially lit hallway that lay beyond the entrance's threshold. "The big question is are we too late?"

"_I think there's someone inside,"_ a familiar voice resounded inside the walls of his mind, answering his query. The voice belonged to Raven who via mental link kept in contact with Danny as she hid in the shadows outside Axion as part of the plan the two had devised. _"I'm getting a reading from someone moving pretty quickly through the halls."_

"_Think you can get me their position?" _he asked her mentally. It felt weird to him to communicate like this, but they both agreed it would probably be more secure than using the Titan Comms or the Fenton Phones. Danny did admit that hearing her voice and knowing that she could be there at a moment's notice to back him up took the edge off the uncertainty of what they were about to face.

"Right now they're… look out!"

He reacted to her warning without hesitation and jumped out of the way just as something massive slammed into the ground where he had just been standing, sending debris and dust everywhere. Putting a safe amount of distance between him and the impact, Danny waited for the dust to clear to see who or what had been aiming for him. The halfa didn't have to wait long as a rather tall and built figure emerged from the crater: a teenager that seemed a few years older than Danny but with a height that easily towered over most adults, wearing some sort of black and orange jumpsuit and sporting a military-style crew cut. _"Where the heck did he come from,"_ Danny commented internally. _"I thought you said they were inside?"_

"_The first one still is. Looks like they were expecting you after all."_

Danny looked over his massive adversary, who hadn't moved since making his entrance at the scene. The older teen simply stared at him as if he were waiting for Danny to make the first move, which unnerved the ghost boy somewhat. _"Well, it probably isn't Vlad's doing, since he prefers to work with ghosts and this guy definitely didn't set off my ghost sense._" He gave the situation some thought before continuing. _"New plan. You head inside and handle this guy's partner while I stay out here."_

"_Danny…"_ she replied in reproving tone.

"_If we split up, we cover more ground. Besides, I can take this guy with my ghost powers."_

"_That remains to be seen," _Raven retorted. A moment's pause followed before she resumed. _"Remember your promise. If you get yourself killed, you'll have me to deal with." _

Danny smiled inwardly, and then focused his attention on the awaiting giant whose arms were crossed and whose face stayed neutral, though there was a hint of boredom in his features. The ghost teen weighed his options, though only one course of action seemed like the most effective one and the one he'd used many times before: a full frontal assault. If he were able to hit his opponent hard enough, he could take him out or at least make him think twice. If push came to shove, he had his invisibility and intangibility to fall back on to evade.

Phantom began to float a few inches from the ground before he shot off like a rocket with his sights set straight ahead and both fists stretched out in front of him. He chose not to ignite his hands in ectoplasm like he would for a ghostly adversary and he held back on his speed, hoping it was fast enough to knock the larger teen down without seriously hurting him. Seconds felt like minutes as he quickly closed the gap between them in a flash when Danny felt a felt something strange a few yards away from his target and he then began to notice that he was losing speed at a rapid pace.

"What the…" the halfa stated in disbelief as he tried push himself to increase his velocity, though his efforts seemed to be in vain as he continued to decelerate until he stopped a mere few inches from the awaiting and smiling Vector. "How did you…"

"You first mistake was to charge in without knowing your opponent's combat ability," Phantom's antagonist spoke for the first time since he arrived, disregarding the ghost boy's unanswered question. The villain, who had his palm facing the hero, then proceeded to point towards the ground and watched the white haired ghost fall to the ground with a thump. "Your second was to hold back in attacking me. You were holding back, weren't you? Considering your reputation, I would have hoped you were more powerful than that."

Breathing heavily, Danny found it a burden to move or even breathe as an invisible force kept him pinned down to the ground, a feeling he wasn't too fond of. He had grown quite fond of the weightlessness associated with his ghost powers which was the opposite of the pressure that weighed down on his body at the moment, which took all his strength to not succumb to. He growled under his breath as he used his arms to try and push himself upright, only to collapse in defeat every time he tried to do so. "Great, now he talks," he muttered in between grunts."

"There isn't a point in struggling, you know," he continued smugly. "Right now, you are feeling fifty times Earth's normal gravity, far past the limit a normal human can take, but since ghosts have a tendency to defy gravity, I took the liberty of giving you a little bit extra. I'm surprised you can even move, to tell you the truth. At least you are a bit durable, though not too bright; a pity, really. I wanted more of a challenge, but I guess I was expecting a bit too much out of you."

Danny gritted his teeth. "Sorry to disappoint," he managed to utter. "Maybe she'll fair better than I did…"

"Now what are you yammering …" Vector stopped midsentence and looked up, just in time to see a large metallic door he had mangled earlier that night flying at his head, encased in a black aura. He raised his hand to catch the large projectile, grunting as he was actually pushed back by the force of the attack. For a few moments he and the power that animated the door fought for superiority and neither side seemed to gain an upper hand. With a final bit of effort, however, Vector dug his fingers deep into the metal and swung around, heaving it to the side and sending the slab into a nearby fence.

"I hope you don't mind if I cut in," Raven stated as she appeared a number of feet in front of him, her eyes and hands crackling with power. Raising her hand, she willed the second door into the air and sent it on its way as if it were a giant Frisbee.

He wavered only for a moment, then gave a confident smirk as he readied a defense for her attack. He placed his palms together, as if he were meditating, then rotated one hand till the tips of its fingers pointed down. He then lessened the bend of both his wrists until his hands were at non perpendicular angles, though his palms were still parallel. "Vector technique," he began to say as he began to focus. "Refraction!"

Raven watched as her projectile moved straight for its target when suddenly it veered to the right, missing him entirely. She focused on the object again and exerted herself until it doubled back, in hopes of hitting him from behind. Unfortunately, like before, the door seemed to swerve the moment it reached his vicinity until it once again neglected to hit him. She let go of her hold and let it fall to the ground, narrowing her eyes as he simply smiled in reply.

"I suggest you try something else."

A response to his advice came, though not from Raven; a blast of emerald energy erupted from the ground a few feet away and headed straight for Vector's face. Raven's attack served its purpose of keeping their adversary's attention elsewhere, allowing Danny to find a way to escape. Although he had still been under the influence of the enemy's strange ability, he had turned himself intangible and phased though the ground, allowing him to be no longer sandwiched between that invisible force and the earth underneath him, though he still was pushed downward. Instead of focusing on counteracting the effect, Danny used his powers to propel himself forward as he moved downwards, moving diagonally underground till he reached a point where it didn't seem to affect him anymore. Danny then mimicked Raven's tactics and decided to launch a sneak attack of his own.

Unfortunately, his strategy proved ineffective against his foe who quickly raised his hand and blocked the blast with eh gauntlet on his arm. A number of other ectoblasts followed, though this time Vector was prepared and somehow managed to nimbly jump over the blasts, something that would normally seem quite difficult for a person of his build. He landed on the ground as if he had only jumped six inches instead of the six feet he had ascended to, smirking at Raven's surprised stare.

Danny emerged from the ground to survey his successful attack only to find that his target remained relatively unscathed. "What is up with this guy?" he asked in amazement. He then took a glance at Raven. "I thought you were headed inside?"

"I thought you said you could handle him," she countered back in her signature monotone. "What did I say about being careful and not getting yourself killed?"

Danny gave her a mischievous smile. "Not my fault the big guy is tougher than he looks."

"Looks like we have an unforeseen factor entering in the equation," their enemy commented, interrupting their interaction. "Raven of the Teen Titans, is it not? I was not expecting you to be here, but it is of little consequence." The large teen cracked his knuckles and took a crouched pose similar to that of a linebacker ready to tackle a member of the opposing team. "You're entrance into the scenario will actually make things a bit interesting. So, shall we continue?"

VGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVGVG

The state of shock that resulted from the arrival of the enigmatic girl known as Sparx only lasted a few moments, after which the security detail went on alert and aimed their firearms at her. "Stay where you are and put your hand s on your head!" Sinclair ordered.

"Is that the vault?" she asked, seemingly oblivious to their weapons or demands. She whistled admiringly as she studied the door that separated her from her goal. "Wow, that's a big door. Must be what, six to eight inches thick? Electronic panel with retinal and palm reader and probably a voice print matching system, too. Too easy."

"I said put your hands on your head, now!" He raised his voice to gain her attention, quite irked by her ignorance. "Surrender yourself now and you won't get hurt."

His words seemed to finally break through her reverie as she finally noticed again that she wasn't alone. Taking in all the guns pointed at her direction, she let out a frustrated sigh. "Not this again," she whined. "You guys keep pointing guns at me. I've been through this like what, four times already?" She began to count her fingers. "Or was it five times? Anyway, it's getting real old."

Though they weren't sure if they were to take the girl's claim at face value, they kept their aim on her steady. "I'm not going to say this again: lie down on the ground and surrender now."

Sparx simply smiled defiantly, pulling down the bottom eyelid of her right out and stuck out her tongue. "Make me."

Before they could move their trigger fingers she was already in motion, closing in on the first guard close to her and sending electrical sparks from the soles of her feet. She zigzagged, avoiding his first shots and then began to spin rapidly with the grace of a figure skater. Her leg lifted and connected into him with a devastating kick, knocking the guard back into the nearby wall. Not losing a beat, she spun once more before moving in closer, dodging shots being fired at her from the remaining sentries. She clothes-lined the next one and then continuing her momentum, used him as leverage as she swung around him and hit his partner with the electrically charged soles of her feet.

Before their unconscious bodies hit the ground she continued moving, heading to the closest wall and not slowing down for even a second. She then jumped before slamming into the wall and instead her feet made contact with it and she continued to skate as if she were still on the ground, all the while continuing to evade the hail of gunfire. After a few moments of this, she launched from the wall and her legs scissored around the helmeted head of one the guards. She landed on her hands while he was still in her grip and then effortlessly flipped him onto the ground, rending him unconscious.

She flipped away and landed in a crouch as her boots sparked to life once again and propelled her closer, sending the remaining in a panic as they continued to try and hit their highly agile target. The moment she came within range, her foot sought out the legs of another victim as she executed a sweeping kick the knocked him off his feet. She became upright again, all while continuing to twirl and the leg struck him again as he was toppling over, knocking him into one of his colleagues and sending both in a tangled heap.

All this took a matter of seconds and in that time the squad of eight was hacked down to just two, leaving only Michael and Damon, though it looked like that wasn't going to last long, as the electric blonde began closing in on them. Sinclair took a stand in front of Mr. Gray, ready to defend his supervisor from their unlikely foe, knowing full well that he probably wasn't a match for her. He felt a pang of guilt over how easily his squad mates had been taken down and by a young girl no less and he grimly stood his ground as he watched her race to greet them with a fist crackling with electrical energy.

"Stop!"

The voice took both Sparx and Sinclair by surprise and caused the girl to skid to a stop, her charged hand halting mere inches from Sinclair's nose. He stepped back from her sudden proximity and then turned to where the girl was blankly staring at to find the bleak face of Mr. Gray.

"We… we surrender. Mike, lower your weapon."

Sinclair's face contorted into confusion. "But Mr. Gray…"

"Remember what I told you before: I'll put your safety over what's in that vault any day." Damon turned to the girl. 'We won't cause you any trouble. You can have whatever you want."

"Really?" A smile bloomed on her face as she lowered her arm. "Alright!" the other two watched in amazement as her fist shot up in the air and she began to dance in response to her success. "Way to go Sparx! Vec is going to be so happy when he hears this!"

"We aren't however, going to help you get in there, however," Mr. Gray clarified.

She stopped her victory dance and turned to him, her grin never leaving her face. "Oh, I won't need your help anyway. Hacking into the security system is way too easy, anyway." Sparx practically skipped over to the panel embedded in the wall beside the vault door, eying it carefully before her fingers began to dance across the keyboard. Damon and Michael watched as her typing speed gradually increased until her hands were nothing but twin blurs. After a few minutes of this, she abruptly came to a halt. "And for the icing on the cake…" She placed a hand that was now charged with electrical energy, onto the palm scanner and sent a jolt into the panel, causing it to spark and the emergency lights in the hall to flicker for a moment.

A green light appeared onscreen and following that, the vault doors slowly whirred open, revealing the pedestal on which her prize awaited. The force field which had been protecting it had been disabled once she had hacked into the system, leaving the object unprotected and up for grabs.

"How… how did she…" Michael asked in awe as he turned to Mr. Gray. "I thought you said that nobody could hack into the system?"

"No security system is hacker-proof," the elder employee stated, also quite surprised with how easily she had blown through their defenses. "It's just a matter of how hard it is to hack. It shouldn't have been that easy…"

Sparx stepped out of the vault moments later, a shoulder bag hanging at her side now containing the contraption Axion Labs was so set on protecting. "Thanks a lot, guys! And don't worry: you and the others will wake up in a few hours, tops."

"What are you…" A jolt rant through both of their bodies, causing the two men to spasm before unconsciousness took over.

"Dad?"

The platinum blonde girl turned in the direction of the call, to find a dark skin girl close to her age staring wide-eyed at the scene before her. The expression of the newcomers face changed as her surprised look turned to that of anger and in an instant a high tech suit covered her body.

"Keep away from him!"

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**AN: A cookie to those who know where the title of this chapter comes from.**


	16. Chapter 15: Debut

**Author's Notes: It really has been a whole month? Shame on me. I apologize for all those who waited for this update. I'm glad you guys are so patient with me. Special thanks to all the new readers (still surprised that people are going back to read my first story). Also, I'd like to thank Cordria, who graciously betaed this chapter. She truly is an awesome and patient gal.**

**If you hadn't guessed, the name of the chapter reveals a little bit about what's going to you want to know more, read on…

* * *

  
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Lost and Found Chapter 15: Debut

The moment Damon Gray had left her in his office, Valerie had fully intended on staying where she was and obeying her father's wishes. The past few weeks had not only put a strain on their relationship but she knew that his concern over her safety had risen even greater than when he had first learned of her somewhat dangerous extra-curricular activities. The last thing that she wanted to do was to make him worry even more by going off on her own without his permission. She had given up that brash, impulsive side of herself when she had given up ghost hunting.

Unfortunately for her, though her initial intentions were noble, her mind seemed to have other plans as worry began to fill up every crevice of it. It should have been obvious to her that her father's job was inherently dangerous, but she had never given it any thought… not until she saw the look on his face earlier that night. If her father was that troubled, then something big was happening. The more she thought of how much tonight's recent events had upset her father, the more she worried of his own safety. Before she knew it she found herself roaming the halls of Axion Labs in hopes of protecting him anyway she could.

Though she had been to Axion enough times to know the layout by heart, the trek through the once familiar halls was unexpectedly alien, partly due to the changes made to upgrade security and mostly due to the absence of illumination. Except for the emergency lighting which lit the hallways with a blood-red color, the building was shrouded in shadows. The lack of any signs of life further perpetuated the eerie aura that seemed to permeate the building as Valerie cautiously continued on her way, and the further she went, the further she began to second-guess her decision to disobeying her father. What exactly could she do once she caught up with him? It was true that she had experience fighting but that was against ghosts. She had no clue whether or not her equipment could handle going against human opponents, nor was she sure it would protect her against something like a gunfire.

Occupied with conflicting thoughts, she soon found herself near the main vault area, the place she knew her father would head to first in a situation like this. Deciding that she might as well see what was going on, Valerie quietly crept with her back against the wall till she reached an intersection in the halls. She slowly peeked her head around the corner and her hand quickly intercepted the gasp that threatened to escape from her mouth at the scene in front of her. Lying on the ground were the bodies of a number of her father's guards. She couldn't see any blood, but she wasn't sure if they were merely unconscious or…

Valerie shook her head in a desperate attempt at driving the alternative out of her mind. Her eyes hastily darted around the room, hoping that her father wasn't one of the ones on the ground. Her gaze quickly found what she was looking for and she let a grateful sigh of relief erupt from her lips; her father was there, standing next to Michael Sinclair, one of her father's favorite workers. Both their hands were raised and they seemed to be talking about something while they stared intently at the gaping vault entrance. Valerie nearly took off running to give her father a hug before a figure walked out of the vault: a girl no older than her with shockingly bright smile that matched her electric blonde hair. Valerie's eyes then went wide and time seemed to slow down as she watched the bodies of her father and Michael spasm and then collapse onto the ground.

She called out for him before she even realized it, catching the attention of the blonde assailant who actually who gave her a curious gaze. Valerie stood there frozen in place and her mind tried to digest the scene in front of her. Her eyes remained transfixed at her father's still form for a few moments before they gradually made their way towards the girl. Suddenly she began to see red, both literally and figuratively, as her suit willed itself into being, covering every inch of her body and its red-tinted visor masked her face. "Keep away from him!" she screamed as her arm lifted from her side and an ectoblaster appeared from her gauntlet.

Sparx stared at the newcomer blankly for a moment before she responded. "That was…" she began, hesitating before she continued. "That was... so cool!" He eyes had a sparkly gaze to them as she pointed at Valerie with wonderment "How did you do that thing with the suit? What kind of technology was that? Nanotech? Hammer-space? You've got to tell…" Her giddy rambling was cut short by a red-colored blast, which she deftly dodged without skipping a beat.

"I told you to get away from him!" Valerie reiterated, her blaster still smoking. "Now!" Her other arm took residence next to her already raised one, sporting a matching blaster on its wrist. Both weapons fired on the electrically endowed girl, causing her to back away from the fallen Mr. Gray as she evaded the attacks.

"Okay, okay, you don't have to be so mean," Sparx responded as she skidded to a stop in front of the vault door. "Happy?"

"No, I'm not," the huntress hissed between her teeth. "I won't be happy until I kick your scrawny little butt for hurting my dad!" She leapt into the air and landed onto her hover sled, which materialized underneath her and hummed to life. The huntress aimed her sights at the other girl, revenge etched on her face as she commanded to craft to accelerate towards her.

"Wow!" Sparx cried in awe of the gear that seemed to appear out of thin air, apparently unperturbed by the fact that it was heading straight for her. At the last possible moment, she leapt into the air and over the enraged ghost huntress, who turned on the breaks of her sled and spun around to face her.

"Hold still!" Valerie cried as she shot another volley of ectoplasm. She growled as all of her shots missed their target, who was making a habit of moving out of harm's way.

Sparx had once again activated her boots and was gracefully weaving her way out of Valerie's line of fire. "Hey, I have an idea!" she began after dodging a few more blasts. "It'd be great if you come with me back to my place! Or maybe you could just lend me a piece of your suit?" She suddenly stopped giving up ground, moving off diagonally to the left at top speed. She arched slightly and headed straight for Valerie, all while she continued to evade her fire. "Banzai!" she cried as she launched herself into the air and slammed both feet into Valerie's chest, knocking the wind out of her and sending a charge of electricity through her body.

Valerie fell off her sled and landed with a thud onto the ground and gasped from the impact. She tried to blink away the stars in her eyes and to will herself to move, but found that her body was unable to do so. "Whaa… what did you do to me?"

"Wow, you're still awake?" the blonde stated, impressed by the fact. "I was trying to knock you out with that jolt, but it looked like that suit is pretty well insulated." Her lips curved into a wide grin. "Ooh, I can't wait to see how it works! Now hold still; one more shock ought to do it." She held out a hand, which buzzed with energy and was about to strike to knock the African-American teen out cold when an emerald beam of ectoplasmic energy hit her in the shoulder and knocked her back.

Still shaken by the recent attack, Valerie finally managed to prop herself upon her elbows just as two familiar looking white-clad feet landed in front of her. She felt her body tense up and freeze, though she wasn't sure if it was an aftereffect of the shock she had been submitted to moments ago or by fear from the recognition of who the feet were attached to. She watched as they turned towards her and their owner crouched down till their face was nearly eyelevel.

Two bright green eyes stared back at hers, though they were definitely not the ones Valerie was expecting. Framing them was the grinning face of a young girl, a few years younger than Valerie, with snowy white hair tied up in a ponytail. "Hey," she began merrily, "are you okay?"

The huntress wasn't quite sure how to respond to the new girl mostly due to her appearance, which held a striking resemblance to a certain Phantom she knew. The girl sported the same signature black and white, though it was definitely more stylized, and she wore the same logo as well. She definitely had some sort of connection to _him, _but Valerie had never seen or heard of this girl before and wasn't sure of this girl's origins. Was she like Danny; a half ghost?

"Owie!" a voice cried a distance from them as Sparx rose to her feet, rubbing her shoulder. "That hurt you know!" She took a look at the newcomer and raised her finger. "Hey, I know you! You're Danny Phantom. But…" she paused for a moment, her excitement turning into confusion. "Wait a sec… you're a girl? I could have sworn Vec said you were a guy…"

The white haired teen stood up, smiling confidently as she turned to the speaker. "That's Dani Phantom," she replied proudly, putting emphasis on the second syllable of her first name. "With an 'i'"

"Huh??" Sparx replied, even more confused than she was before.

"Are we going to talk?" Dani asked, "Or am I going to kick your butt!"

"Uhh… is that a trick question?"

DPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDP

A tense silence hung over the front courtyard of Axion Labs as two sides patiently waited for the other to make their move. The villain known as Vector stood poised in a battle stance, his eyes remaining calm as he stared unwaveringly at his two adversaries, the dark sorceress known as Raven and the ghost boy, Danny Phantom. His face gave little emotion except for the slight curl at the corner of his lips that indicated the confidence of his victory in the upcoming battle. He was quite pleased with the recent turn of events; he had become somewhat bored while he fought Phantom. Though the boy surely did have adequate abilities, he found Phantom's fighting tactics to be lacking, especially compared to his own. At least with the arrival of Raven, this battle was becoming more and more worthy of his time.

"_Any ideas?"_ Danny asked his girlfriend via the psychic link Raven had set up as they waited for their opponent to make the next move.

Raven took a long look at Vector before replying. _"I'm not sure,"_ she responded truthfully. _"We'll have to tread cautiously, though. There is something about his powers…"_

"_I was wondering about that, too. I'm assuming he's like you; a telekinetic?"_

"_It seems that way, but there is something about them that's bothering me." _A hint of frustration could be heard in the tone of her voice. _"All I know is that it's some sort of magic and a fairly powerful variety at that. Be on your guard."_

"_That's easy for you to say," _Danny replied with some sarcasm_. "You weren't…"A_ sudden movement from their opponent caught his attention before he could finish his sentence. Their enemy, who had been growing impatient of their caution, opted to make the first move. They watched as he leapt towards them, though both were quite shocked with how high the larger teen rose, given his immense size and build. He seemed to almost float weightlessly although once he reached the peak of his jump, he dropped like a stone.

"Incoming!" Danny shouted and both Titans scattered from their location just as Vector struck it like a cruise missile, blanketing the area with soot and dust. Both teens took to the air, turned towards the impact zone, and waited for the enemy's next move. They didn't have to wait long as both were suddenly hit with an unseen force that slammed into their bodies, knocking them back a good distance away from each other and sending them tumbling onto the courtyard.

Raven managed to right herself before hitting the ground and tried to shake off the effects of the blow, when something went off in the back of her mind, warning her of impending danger. A massive hand roughly grabbed the dark Titan by the throat and slammed her into a nearby wall. The impact left her breathless as her hands instinctively reached up and tried to pry off the vice-like grip that encased her neck.

"Terribly sorry," Vector apologized. "I usually don't like resorting to such… ungentlemanly tactics, but knowing what you can do, I can't take any chances. Besides, you'll be playing a very important role: that of the bait." He tightened his grip and watched as she began gasping for air. "Now, now. I don't need you uttering any incantations, now do I?"

"Hands off!" Danny commanded as he closed in from behind. The halfa's eyes were burning emerald, as well as his fists as he readied himself for an attack.

"Right on schedule," the larger foe said under his breath with a grin. His eyes began to glow an ominous orange tint. "Vector repulsion!"

Danny felt himself slam into what seemed to be an invisible wall, which knocked him back like the attack from before.

"Vector attraction!" At Vector's command, the ghost boy's body unwillingly reversed direction, heading towards the villain, who was expecting him with a grin. He swung out, sending the halfa sprawling to the side."Falling for the same trick twice, Phantom?" he teased. "You won't defeat me that way."

"I said…" Danny said as he began to rise, "get your hands off of her!" The last word was accented by the ecto-enhanced sound waves of his ghostly wail. His short, concentrated burst hit the giant, ramming him from his spot and removed his grip on Raven. Danny flew into action, catching the sorceress before she hit the ground and then moving her away from where the giant fell. "Rae, are you alright?"

Her answer was a gasp as oxygen once again filled her lungs followed by a string of coughs and an annoyed look at being asked such a query.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Standard question."

A small smile sprouted on her lips before her eyes became alert at something behind her boyfriend. A dome of dark energy quickly protected them from Vector's fist, which collided with the construct with tremendous force. Raven held up her hands and struggled to keep the shield up while her body trembled from the strain.

"Impressive," the villain commented, "Let's see how long you can last." He pulled back before swinging for another blow that shook both the shield and its two occupants. He repeated this again and again, each time weakening the shield enough for cracks to form and each strike putting a strain on Raven. The last one finally penetrated the shield and hit the ground underneath and created a crater at least two feet deep. Fortunately, the ground was all that his fist hit because his would-be victims had already escaped underground via Danny's intangibility.

Around the corner of the building, Danny arose from the ground while he held on to her to keep her steady. "Rae…"

"I'm fine," she replied before he could ask. "Just let me collect myself."

"I was expecting more out of you, Phantom," Vector called out to his unseen prey. "Running away is most unbecoming."

"That guy is really asking for it," Danny whispered with clenched fist. "If wants a fight, he can have one for what he did to you."

Raven shook her head. "That's what he wants," she stated. "He's goading you to come out." She opened her eyes, which she had closed as she recuperated. "He's been targeting you the whole time."

Danny gave her a questioning stare. "I wasn't the one her grabbed and nearly choked to death." The memory of the moment caused his fists to quake with anger.

"He only did that to bait you," she explained calmly. "Haven't you noticed that he only uses his powers when he's near to us?"

It took a few moments for her question to register in his mind. "Now that you mention it…"

"I think it has to do with his powers; they only work within a certain radius. That's why he's been trying to lure you in. He waited for you to attack him first and then used me to get you to attack again. "

"So getting near him is out of the question," Danny concluded. We're going to have to hit him long range, though I'm not sure if we'll be able to hit him. He's quicker than he looks."

"We're going to have to…" she paused for a moment. "Damn it, move!" Just as she gave her warning, the wall behind them burst outwardly, throwing them back along with a hail of debris.

The large form of Vector emerged from the newly created hole. "Ah, there you are…"

VGDPVGDPVGDPVGDPVGDPVGDPVGDPVG

Valerie felt the effects of the electrical shock she had received from Sparx begin to wear off as she slowly got to her feet. Her eyes never left the girl who had just moments before claimed to be Dani Phantom and her mind began racing with questions that she wanted to ask. "Who are you?"

Dani turned to her and grinned. "I told you already: I'm Dani Phantom, with an 'i'. Who are you?"

Valerie blinked, genuinely surprised by the girl's question. "Valerie. Valerie Gray," she responded absentmindedly.

"Nice to meet you, Val," the ghost girl replied, casually shortening Valerie's name as if they were already friends. She held out her hand in a friendly gesture, her eyes shining brightly with naiveté. "Are you a friend of Danny's?"

"I…" the huntress was unsure how to respond to the question, which was one she found asking herself quite often recently.

"Thunderblitz!" The sudden cry interrupted Valerie before she could answer and both she and Dani managed to move out of the way, just as Sparx bolted in with an outstretched and electrified hand. Missing her targets, the blonde foe skidded to a stop. "I don't mean to interrupt, but Vec is going to be really pissed at me if I keep him waiting anymore. I'm not asking for much; you don't even have to give me the whole suit," she said in an almost cheerful tone. "I'm sure you Deddy can figure out how it works with just a small piece…"

Valerie scowled at the girl's gall. "Yeah, right! Like I'd give anything to you after you hurt my dad!" With her fist pulled back and ready to strike, the red huntress charged forward and swung the moment she was in range of the source of her irritation. Her strike missed its mark entirely, however, when Sparx easily sidestepped the attack. Valerie continued her assault, punching and kicking, using every move she could remember from her years of practicing karate and even a few she had learned from fighting ghosts. It was all for not and each of her strikes hit nothing but air as her electro-centric adversary avoided each and every one.

"Wow, nice kick!" Sparx commented as she effortlessly kept her distance. "Where did you learn to fight?"

Valerie practically growled in frustration after another failed attempt. She was getting more and more aggravated as the fight dragged on (if she could even call it a fight) and her opponents almost cheerful attitude was not helping in the least

"Hey, I know!" Sparx's face seemed to brighten as a thought came to her. "How about I show you some of my moves? I've been saving this one for a while now." She flipped back and landed on her hands, curling her body tightly before releasing a powerful kicking using both her feet. "Jupiter Strike!"

Valerie's eyes went wide as she watched the kick come her way, knowing that she wouldn't be able to dodge it in time. She waited in horror for the blow to connect…. "Mind if I cut in?" She heard a voice besides her asked as a hand touched her shoulder and she suddenly felt a cold, familiar tingle sweep over her body. Sparx sailed harmlessly through the now intangible huntress, much to both of their surprise.

Dani broke contact with her new ally's shoulder, rendering her tangible again, and smirked smugly at her handiwork. "Now it's my turn," she stated as she launched a barrage of ectoplasmic blasts at the would-be thief. She, unfortunately like Valerie before her, found it difficult to land a hit on the nimble blonde. "Hey! Hold still!" the halfa cried out as her prey zigzagged her way around her attacks.

"Sorry," Sparx apologized, "But you're going to have to do better than that to hit me…"

"Oh, really?"Dani inquired with an impish grin and a glint in her eye. The ghost girl's feet suddenly ignited with ectoplasm and she swung out her leg, creating a low arc of ectoplasm.

It took a few moments for her to react, but surprisingly the electrically endowed girl managed to leap over the oncoming assault, using it as an opening to her to get closer to the ghost girl. "Let me try!" she exclaimed cheerfully as she began to spin in the air and lashed out her leg. The kick found no purchase since Dani took the opportunity to show off her own maneuverability and quickly put some distance between them. Unperturbed and with a gleeful giggle, Sparx landed on the ground and continued to spin, hoping to sweep the halfa's feet from right under her.

"Woah" the young Phantom cried out as she rose from the ground and narrowly avoided getting tripped. She continued to gain altitude till she was a foot below the high ceiling and she immaturely stuck out her tongue.

"Hey, no fair!"

Continuing her teasing, Dani, pulled at her lower eyelid. "Why don't you come and get me, then?"

Sparx looked as if she were seriously contemplating her opponent's suggestion and after a few seconds a smile bloomed on her face. "Okie Dokie!" Sparx said. "Give me a sec, kay?" Her response elicited only a quizzical stare from Dani, who watched as the blonde girl took off like a rocket on a collision course towards the nearest wall. Jumping when she reached the wall, her feet made contact and in a gravity defying feat, she continued to skate up the wall as if she were still on the ground. Once she reached a certain height she pushed herself off, rolled in the air a few times like a cannon ball and then extended her legs. "Rolling thunder!"

"Remember me," a voice called out, right when violet energy intercepted the attacking foe and knocked her away from her intended victim. The source was none other than Valerie, around whom three of her gun blocks floated. The huntress had hesitated in helping the ghost girl before and could only watch as she fought. She was still unsure to whether she should even trust this girl, but Dani had helped her not once but twice, so she was at least obligated to aid her; that and she still had a grunge against that blonde bimbo for hurting her father.

Despite a direct hit and the height from which she fell, Sparx still managed to land on her feet, much like a proverbial cat. Her stare alternated back and forth from in between the crimson clad huntress on the ground and the monochrome ghost girl floating up while she had second thoughts on taking them on. Her hand wandered to her side, where her spoils still hung; though she would have loved to have gotten a look at the technology behind the huntress's suit, her package was her top priority.

"Okay, I give up," Sparx announced. "I wish I can play some more, but I'm really running out of time." She grinned sheepishly. "I had plenty of fun, though. See ya!" With that, she turned her back to them and headed towards the hallway that led outside.

Valerie stood there dumbfounded for a few moments before her eyes narrowed and a growl escaped from her lips. "Hold on!" she screamed at the retreating girl. "Get back here! You're not getting away that easily!" She jumped into the air and her jet sled, which had materialized under her feet, sent her after quarry.

"Hey, wait for me!" Dani called out behind both as she quickly followed.

DPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDP

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you were avoiding me," the large criminal known as Vector commented as he emerged from the hole he had recently created. "Where were we? Oh yes, that's right." Lifting his arms while joining his hands together, he jumped straight for Phantom and swung his arms down in a double-axe handle attack.

Danny deftly rolled out of the way and putting Raven's observations into account, tried to put as much distance as he could from the behemoth by flying away backwards. While he retreated, he assaulted his foe with a number of ecto-blasts in hopes of deterring him from following.

Instead of dodging, Vector merely crossed his arms in front of his face and took every hit without even flinching. Lowering his arms, he gave the halfa a confident grin and then bolted forwards with speed that belied his size, closing the gap between them. Grabbing the front of Danny's costume, he slammed the hero into the ground and while he was still dazed, lifted his other massive fist.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven's signature incantation rang out into the night air and various pieces of debris left by Vector's arrival answered her call, each of which were now surround by her dark energy. The would-be projectiles obeyed her command as she waved her hands towards her target, raining down on him like hail.

"Please," Vector said as if her were insulted. Instead of striking down Phantom like he had been planning on, he instead faced his palm towards the offending pieces of concrete, stopping them dead in the tracks. "You've tried this already. Did you honestly think that it would work on me this time?"

Raven's eyes furrowed with concentration as she began a struggle of power between her and the larger telepath on the rubble. She exerted her will and lifted her energy filled hands, hoping that she could overcome the strange force Vector seemed to possess with that of her own. After a few moments of struggling, she did something that caught her opponent by surprise: she smiled.

Searing cold from an icy blue blast suddenly engulfed the giant's chest and sent him flying back, much to his dismay. Though he managed to stay on his feet, the disorientation from the blast was all that was needed to break his concentration of the attack he had been holding at bay and a hailstorm of cement and rebar assaulted him.

The blast's originator, Danny, rose to his feet, his eyes still glowing blue after emitting an ice blast. "Thanks for the assist," he said to his girlfriend, who nodded back in reply. "Now, for big and ugly: what the hell were you trying to steal and what did you want with me?"

"You think I'll tell you anything?" The large teen slightly teetered on his feet from the damage he sustained, though he showed no signs of backing off now. "I'd suggest you wait till after the fight is over to ask questions… that is, if you think you can beat me." He stood in a fighting stance, with one hand holding on to his chest, which was still covered in frost. His mind raced with ways he could turn this upset around when his thoughts were interrupted by the crackle of his in-ear comm.

"Sparx to Vec!" a voiced sounded into his ear canal. "Vec, can you hear me?"

"Not now, Sparx," he nearly hissed. "I'm currently in the middle of something. I thought I told you not to call me unless there was a problem."

"Yeah… about that…"

* * *

**AN: Once again, I got stuck on the action scenes… sigh, don't think I'll ever get used to writing them. There is a really hard balance between detail in action, detail in emotions and dialogue. First draft of one of the action scenes read like an uninspired script, something Cor was sure to point out to me. **

**Speaking of Cordria, make sure to read her stories as well. I'm especially fond of her story "Real Life", which she just recently updated. **

**See you next time!**


	17. Chapter 16: Tactical Withdrawal

**Author's Notes: A little timelier than the last update. Fresh off the presses, after beta work from the lovely Cordria, is the next chapter. I thank all those who have waited patiently and even those who haven't. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope it answers a few questions (hopefully not too many) and gives you some more questions (the more the merrier).**

**Also, stay tuned for after the chapter.

* * *

  
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Lost and Found Chapter 16: Tactical Withdrawal

"Yeah, about that…"

Sparx could hear the long, aggravated, and familiar sigh of Vector resound though her earpiece as she sped through Axion Labs. She winced at the sound which he always seemed to make whenever they were together. Talking to him when he was this way always made her feel nervous and this time was no different.

"What happened, Sparx?" he asked after a moment's silence. His voice had an air of forced calmness that strained to hide the irritation he was feeling.

"Well, I went in like we planned and I hacked into the vault and got the package and then this girl in a red suit that looked really cool came out of nowhere and started attacking me and then Dani with an 'i' Phantom showed up except it was a girl and I thought you said he was a guy and they ganged up on me and…"

"Slow down, Sparx," Vector cut in, interrupting her incessant chatter. "You aren't making any sense, or at least you're making less sense than you normally do. At least tell me you have our objective in hand."

The blonde girl deftly made a left turn at a hallway intersection, avoiding a number of red and green blasts that had been trailing behind her, before she replied. "I got it, Vec, but I sorta ran into a few problems."

"Dare I ask what kind of problems?"

"I told you already," she said almost exasperatedly. "This girl in this really cool high tech red suit showed up and gave me a little trouble, but I was able to handle her. I was trying to get a piece of her suit so I could study it when we got home when suddenly Dani Phantom showed up…"

"That's impossible," he interrupted. "Danny Phantom is right here in front of me. I'm fighting him even as we speak."

"Not Danny Phantom," she corrected matter-of-factly, "Dani Phantom, with an 'I'"

"Excuse me?"

"A ghost showed up that looked just like Phantom except it was a girl," she exclaimed. "I didn't know there was more than one Phantom, Vec. Hey, maybe she's a fangirl or something…"

A questioning grunt came from the comm as Vector mulled over this new revelation. "And you are sure of this?"

"Of course I'm sure. They ganged up on me and everything. Totally not fair!" Sparx gave an infuriated huff. "All I wanted was a piece of that suit; was that too much to ask?"

"What's your status currently?"

She dodged to the left just as an ectoblast sailed past her. "I'm almost at the exit, I think…" she replied. "Why do hallways always look the same? I'm almost positive I've passed by here already…"

"Focus, Sparx," Vector commanded. "Once you find your way out, I want you to head to my position. I'll be on the East side of the building."

"Which side is that again?" she asked innocently, eliciting a sigh from her teammate. A moment later a loud explosion rocked the building and almost knocked her off her feet. Steadying herself, she smiled sheepishly. "Nevermind; I'll be there in a jiffy, Vec!"

DPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDP

"Well, this isn't going anywhere," Raven stated monotonously, commenting on the situation at hand. The battle that she and Danny had against their opponent, Vector had now reached a standstill with neither side gaining any ground. Their last combined attack had caused their enemy to be a lot more cautious and to put a rather significant gap between them. Knowing that he was quite dangerous at close range, they too decided to keep their distance and opted to use long range attacks, though they were mostly ineffective. The distance gave their opponent enough time to easily dodge anything they threw at him.

"Tell me about it," Danny agreed. "This could take a while." He gave a resounding sigh. "Typical: another sleepless night. We should really find a way to take him down soon." The halfa then noticed a change in their enemy's behavior. "Hello. Either the big guy is talking to himself or he's having a conversation with his buddy inside. Probably got what they were looking for. Looks like we're about to have company."

Raven closed her eyes and began to concentrate her empathic abilities on the building. "You're right. He or she is coming… and they're not alone. I sense two others following…" she stopped at midsentence and her eyes darted towards Danny with a look he couldn't quite make out.

"Others? What others…" A puff of ethereal mist erupted from his lips. Recognizing the ectoplasmic signature that set off his ghost sense, his eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, no," he whispered under his breath. The shock on his face changed quickly into irritation. "Damn. I thought I told her to…" A deafening sound and the rumbling earth interrupted him as the wall beside them exploded.

"Seems as though I've missed," Vector said with a sly smirk. "No, matter." The giant teen reached over and tore out a rather large piece of metal from the electrical relay station besides him as if it were a mere piece of paper. Gripping it tightly, he focused on it and it suddenly began to cave in on itself until only a crumpled ball of metal lay in the villain's palm. He smiled and then threw it in the air, before slamming it with his fist, sending it flying towards the two Titans.

The projectile flew with such tremendous speed that the heroes barely managed to dodge the shot, which crashed into the ground and caused the ground to quake and tremble. The sound created by the impact rang in their ears and the resulting cloud of dust disoriented their senses. "Bastard," Danny swore under his breath, fighting off the pain in his ears. "Rae," he called, barely managing to hear his own voice.

"_They're coming."_

Her voice sounded in his mind, alerting him of impending danger. He answered her warning by igniting his hands with ectoplasm and trying to anticipate where the next attack would come, despite his impaired perception.

"BANZAI!!"

A voice cried out loud enough that even he could hear it through the ringing still in his ears. Danny felt something hard connect with his chest and then gave out a cry of pain as a high voltage current spread through him, causing his body to spasm. He collapsed to his knees, though he somehow managed to catch himself before he hit the ground. He took a few gasping breaths, trying to recover from the attack, and could hear Raven calling out his name as she knelt down beside him.

"Aww, man!" Sparx cried as she made a beeline for her partner. The eccentric girl had managed to find her way outside using the sound of Vector's assault as a beacon. She had just moments before found the hole in the building he had made and finding that his opponents were in a state of disarray, she decided to have a little fun. "That's the second time tonight that I couldn't knock anyone out with my Tesla Shocker. I guess ghosts are really tough." She took a spot next to her associate and gave him her signature cheery grin. "Hi, Vec! You missed me?"

He gave a sidelong glance. "Impeccable timing, Sparx. Do you have the package?"

She lifted the bag above her head and her smile doubled in size. "Yup! All wrapped and ready to go!"

"Good." He took the bag and hooked it onto his belt. "Now where are those girls you were talking about…?"

"Where did you go!?" Valerie's voice echoed from the crater in the side of the building and moments later the crimson clad huntress shot into the courtyard with malice written all over her face. "Where did she…" She quickly scanned the area and her gaze quickly gravitated towards Sparx and Vector. "There you are!" she exclaimed as the ecto-blasters on her gauntlets once again whined into life and began firing on the source of her aggravation.

"Hmmm… I see," Vector commented as he protected his face from her attacks using his forearms. "She seems to be quite… forceful."

"More like mean." Sparx stuck out her tongue, which only served to enrage Valerie and brought an even heavier barrage. Sparx quickly found protection behind her partner, who stood against the maddened ghost huntress. "Jeez, can't she take a joke?"

"Hiding behind your friend isn't going to help you!" Valarie practically roared. "You'll be a ghost by the time I'm done with you…"

"Valerie?" Danny called, silencing both her tirade and her weapons. He was shaking off the effects of the electrical attack and had risen to his feet

"D-Danny? Raven?" she asked hesitantly, all of her fury now gone from her voice. "Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied, giving her a small, yet nervous smile.

"I…" She found it difficult to respond, as if something was damming up her throat, preventing the words from flowing freely. "She… she hurt my dad." She finally responded, pointing towards the blonde across the small field. Remembering what Sparx had done seemed to bring some of Valerie's fiery spirit back, though she nervously avoided Danny's gaze.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Vector called, catching all of their attention, "But I believe it's time that we take our leave."

"Oh, no you don't!" Valerie cried, once again powering up her weapons. A part of her was actually somewhat relieved that her meeting with Danny was interrupt; she wasn't sure that she was quite ready to face him yet. Her rocket sled roared to life and with a battle cry, she moved to intercept the criminals before they escaped.

"Valerie, wait!" Phantom warned and quickly chased after her.

Valerie was closing in on her prey when she and her sled stopped in midair. "What the…" She was flung backwards into Danny's waiting arms, who had anticipated the result of her attempted attack.

"That's what I was trying to tell you," he explained. "He does some weird things when you get too close."

"Sparx, I'll leave the travel arrangements up to you," Vector directed as he held up his hands and concentrated his power to keep their adversaries away.

"Awwww" Sparx said disappointedly. "Can't we have some fun for a little longer? Now that we're together, I wanted to try some of those combo moves we've been working on."

"Unfortunately, that will have to wait for another time. We have what we came for; there isn't any point for us to stay here any longer." He watched her put and crossed her arms in a huff. "I promise next mission, you can have all the fun you want."

"Alright," she grudgingly conceded, reaching down on her belt and pulling out a metallic sphere. "It'll only take a few seconds."

He let Sparx get their escape plan into motion as he continued to focus on his influence of the area around them. Though he chose not to mention it, there was another reason that he was ending their operation: the ice blast Phantom had hit him with affected him more than he would have liked to admit. His usually tough skin could handle quite a lot of punishment, but somehow the sub-zero discharge seemed to chill him to the bone and it took everything he had to maintain his spell. He preferred that Sparx not know about his weakened state; he knew that she'd only worry about him and not focus on the task at hand.

He felt a finger poke the backside of his left shoulder, breaking his concentration somewhat. "Sparx, I don't need you distracting me."

"But I didn't do anything," she replied in a confused tone.

He turned his head to face her. "Didn't you just…" his inquiry came to a halt when he spotted the grinning visage of what appeared to be a female version of Phantom. The girl floated up to eye level and waved at him in a cute fashion before her hand began to glow with ecto energy. The shine began to get brighter with each second until all Vector saw was a flash of light that blinded him. "Gah!"

"Vec!" Sparx was immediately at his side, holding on to him as he stumbled. "Are you okay?"

"Phantom," he managed to say as he tried to blink away the spots from his eyes.

"Somebody rang?" Phantom chimed as he took advantage of Vector's disorientation and closed in on the giant. He hand was encased with blue ectoplasm and he let loose with a punch that he hoped would prevent the fleeing criminals from escaping. His blow was intercepted by Vector's arm, which was promptly covered with a sheet of ice.

Vector swung his now frozen arm to shove Phantom back, wincing from the numbing cold that he could feel spread up to his shoulder. "Now would be a good time to leave, Sparx."

"R-right!" she replied, pressing a button on the device in her hand. She gave is a charge of electricity and it began to whine. "Hold on!" she called as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Soon a bright light engulfed them both and moments later, they were gone.

"Damn," Danny swore. "They got away." He then let out an exasperated sigh. "Danielle…"

The ghost girl in question faded into view, smiling innocently. "Hi Danny!"

"Don't 'Hi Danny' me. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Duh," she replied. "Helping you, of course."

"I thought I told you to stay at home." The older halfa was becoming more and more aggravated by the moment.

"And miss this?" she stated like it was completely obvious. "You should have seen me and Valerie inside when we fought that electric girl. It was so cool…"

"Danielle." He sighed again, pinching bridge of his brow. "You are in so much trouble right now. If Mom and Dad ever found out…"

"Oh, my gosh!" Valerie suddenly exclaimed with worry carved in her face. "Dad!" Her sled activated and carried her back through the hole on the side of the building.

Danny gave his cousin a harsh stare before turning away. "We are going to have a talk later," he warned before kicking off the ground. "Come on, Rae; we should see if anyone's hurt," he said before following after the retreating huntress.

"He's really angry, isn't he?" Danielle asked as she watched her cousin leave.

"I'd say so," Raven responded flatly as she began to go after her boyfriend. "We should get going."

IVCS IVCS IVCS IVCS IVCS IV

"Warning: incoming arrival! Warning: incoming arrival!" A loud klaxon and the sound of a mechanical female voice echoed through Transport Bay 1. The room, which had been on stand-by mode, suddenly came to life, as did the center teleporter pod, which warmed up with a sharp, high pitched sound to receive its new guests. A light flashed through the seams of the pod's door and a moment later, Sparx and Vector exited it.

"Vec!" Sparx's cry was heavy with concern over the injured Vector. "Oh my gosh, are you alright? I'll go call the medical department!" She made a quick dash to a panel on the wall.

"You're overreacting, Sparx," he called back in attempt to calm the overly hyperactive girl. He knew it was a somewhat futile gesture: once she got this way, it was incredibly difficult to get her to settle down.

"But… but your arm!" she said as she returned to his side and pointed to the limb in question, which was still covered with ice. "Is it okay?"

"My arm is perfectly fine," he reassured, only to pull it back when Sparx had ventured to touch it with curiosity on her face. "What are you doing?"

"You said it was fine," she countered. Worry returned to her features as she desperately found a way to help her injured comrade. Before she could say anything more, the door on the far side of the room opened and Dr. Inessa Maternova entered the room, wearing her signature lab coat. "Doc!" Sparx cried when she spotted her. "Vec's really hurt!"

A smirk appeared on the doctor's lips as she approached the teens. "Really, now?" Her eyes performed a quick visual examination of his injuries. "Isaac, my dear, I spent long time creating you. The least you can do is to try not to take too much damage."

"Mother…" Vector averted his eyes, slightly embarrassed by her playful scorning.

"Phantom did this to you," she said as more of a statement than an actual question. She placed a hand on her son's frozen and gazed at the ghost boy's handiwork almost admiringly.

Vector was about retort when the room's entrance opened again, announcing the arrival of one Abel Cain, who wore a robe bath robe that indicated he had just come from bed. "Sir!" The giant teen suddenly saluted using his good arm. "I wasn't aware you'd be here."

"You don't need to be formal with me, Isaac," Cain responded. "Or nervous. I just wanted to know how the mission went. Were you able to make a decent assessment of Phantom's skills?"

After a few moments to collect his thoughts, Vector turned towards his superior. "Sir, fighting Phantom was… interesting to say the least. From what I saw, his powers are quite formidable. Unfortunately, certain factors prevented me from making a full evaluation."

"Factors?" Cain asked, his curiosity piqued.

"The most obvious one is that Raven of Azarath was there aiding him."

Cain smirked. "She came after all, then."

"Sir, you knew she would be there?" Vector queried, somewhat perturbed that he wasn't informed. Though he though he did fairly well against both Titans, he could have more prepared if he had all the intel.

"There were a few hints that she and Phantom were becoming… close," Cain explained. "The probability that she would follow him was rather slim, which is why it wasn't in the intel. Besides, I thought that a bit of uncertainty would have made a decent challenge for you."

"I see," Vector replied hesitantly. He knew that this mission was as much of a test for his skills as it was for Phantom's and Cain's words further proved that fact. How long was it going to take to make up for _that_ mistake?

"Tell him about the other Phantom, Vec!" Sparx interrupted with her usual enthusiasm.

Vector gave her an annoyed stare. "I was getting to that," he hissed. "Sir, while I was engaged with Phantom and Raven, Sparx ran into two other complications: the Red Huntress, who has been previously inactive for months, and the appearance of another Phantom." He watch as both Dr. Maternova and Cain's eyebrows peaked with interest. "We weren't able to get much info on her, but she bore a striking resemblance to Phantom."

"She?"

"Yes. Whether she is just another ghost imitating our target or she is, like him, a ghost/human hybrid was undetermined," the tall teen postulated. "Her arrival was the reason why I decided to withdraw from the mission."

Cain and Inessa exchanged looks and seemed quite pleased with the conclusion of the mission. "Well then," the attractive doctor began. "Let us get you to my lab so we may have a look at your arm before frostbite sets in. I'd rather not regrow your arm, although it would give me a chance to try out a few… enhancements on you."

Vector suddenly became uncomfortable. "I don't believe that is necessary, Mother."

"Are you sure, my dear?" she asked almost disappointed. "I found a DNA sample that I could graft…"

"I said it was unnecessary." He inwardly sighed, hoping that his firm tone would persuade her not to persist.

"If you insist, Isaac." She gave a slight pout before she and Sparx began to escort him to the exit.

"There is one last thing that we need to address," the business man interjected. "The package. Daedelus would be vexed if I didn't ask."

"Of course, sir." Vector reached into the bag that still hung from his belt. "Sparx if you would." He waived his frozen hand.

"Oh, right!" she said before taking the bag from his reach and unzipping the opening. She began rummaging around the inside of the bag in search of their stolen bounty for a few moments before giving her partner a fretful look. "Uh, Vec? We have a teeny problem…"

ALALALALALALALALALALAL

"Dad? Daddy, can you hear me?"

Waking to the cries of his anxious daughter, Damon Gray slowly opened his eyes and emitted a low moan. As his vision cleared, he was greeted with Valerie's now relieved eyes and moments later by a large hug that engulfed him.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" she exclaimed, her grip growing even tighter.

"Glad to see you too, pumpkin," he replied, "But I'm going to have to breathe eventually."

Embarrassed, she separated herself from her father and blushed. "I'm just glad that you're alright," she explained.

He smiled back his concerned daughter. "Sorry I made you worry, Val."

"How are you feeling, Mr. Gray?" a familiar voice asked from the sidelines.

Damon's gaze turned to the source and was surprised who he saw. "Phantom," he began after the shock wore off. "I wasn't expecting on seeing you here."

"We happened to be in the neighborhood," Danny responded, pointing his thumb towards the other side of the room.

Damon's eyes followed and surveyed the room to find Raven kneeling down tending to one of his fallen men. Some of his guards were in various stages of consciousness, including Michael Sinclair, who was rubbing the drowsiness out of his eyes and finding his bearings.

"We tried to stop the guys who did this, but they got away with something." Phantom averted his gaze, almost in anticipation a sign of anger from either of the Grays. Though the demotion Damon suffered two years ago wasn't completely his fault, he still felt guilty by the fact that he couldn't prevent it, as he was unable to do anything this night. He was convinced that he deserved any criticism thrown his way, knowing that his failure to prevent that night's theft could once again cost Mr. Gray his job.

Seeing the guilt clearly displayed on Danny's face, Damon with the help of his daughter managed to stand on his still unsteady legs and placed a hand on the young ghost's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault," he reassured. "I'm sure you tried your best, Phantom."

"But Dad," Valerie interjected. "Didn't you say that thing was really important to your boss? What if they fire you again?"

"We'll just have to make due like we've done before, Val. As long as everyone is safe, that's all that matters."

"Uh, excuse me…" Dani Phantom interrupted, catching both her cousin's and the Grays' attention and almost eliciting a double take from Damon.

"She's family," Danny explained before turning to his cousin and giving her a withering stare. "Danielle," Danny stated in a stern, warning tone, "I thought I told you to stay out in the hallway."

"I was listening to you guys," she continued and ignored Danny, much to his annoyance, "and I wondering if what they stole looked anything like this?" The girl pulled from behind her the very mysterious box that the criminals had stolen no more than an hour ago.

"Wait…. How did you…" Danny and Damon said in unison with awestruck expressions.

Dani smiled cheekily. "Borrowed it from that big guy before they got away," she stated matter-of-factly, waving her now intangible hand for emphasis. "See, Danny? I can help!" Her cousin gave her no reply.

"Thank you," Mr. Gray replied graciously as he took the object from her. "Looks like I get to keep my job after all," he joked. Valerie voiced similar gratitude to the younger Phantom.

"As far as I can tell, there aren't any serious injuries," Raven said as she made her way to the rest of the group. "The worst I've seen are a few bruises and some minor electrical burns; nothing too severe."

"Good," Danny finally said before turning towards the exit. "We're leaving."

"Actually, it'll probably be better if you stayed when the police arrived," Raven suggested. "You're the city's Titan now, so you should probably give them a statement."

"But what about…" he nodded his head towards his cousin, who was striking a conversation with Valerie about the night's events.

"Don't worry. I'll keep her out of trouble and out of sight. We'll meet with you a few blocks away." She turned towards Mr. Gray. "Would you mind doing us a favor?"

DPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDP

Danny had first been reluctant to talk to the police since much of his early days of being Phantom involved eluding them and he fought the urge to flee when they arrived with their guns drawn. Luckily, all it took was the presentation of his Titan communicator and an explanation from Mr. Gray to clear up the misunderstanding. Though he wished Raven was there to help recount that night's events, her absence helped sell the version of story he and Mr. Gray gave to the cops. The account that they told was more or less accurate, save for some minor alterations, namely the omission of Raven and Dani from the fight, at the sorceress's suggestion.

By the time Danny had finally left Axion, almost an hour had passed and the halfa was exhausted from all the questions he was asked and explanations he had to give. He managed to find Raven and Dani using his ghost sense and was greeted by a jovial welcome from his cousin, which he promptly ignored.

"Come on, Danny," she pleaded, "You're not still angry at me, are you?" Her question was met with silence as him wordlessly began trek back to the Fenton household. A pained look flashed upon her face, which changed quickly into determination as she followed after him. Catching up to Danny, she imposed herself in his way. "I was just trying to show you that I can help! Why are you so angry?"

"You're asking why I'm angry?" he queried, finally breaking his silence. "I told you to stay at home, where it was safe and instead you go and ignore me…"

"Because you wouldn't let me come with you," she argued, raising her voice. "I'm not sick anymore! I can help you, so why won't you let me?"

"I'm trying to protect you, damn it!" Danny swore. "And I can't do that if you won't even listen to me…"

"Nobody asked you to protect me!" she countered. "I can take care of myself. You're the one who isn't listening…"

Raven watched the quarrel unfold and didn't like the way things were turning out. She had been privy to enough fights at Titan's Tower to know that someone was only seconds away from saying something they would regret later. "Guys…"

"Vlad owns Axion Labs," Danny suddenly stated. "That's why I didn't want you to come. We weren't sure whether it was a trap to get to you. That's why I told you to stay home with Mom and Dad."

Dani paused at the news and an unreadable expression appeared on her face, though Raven could feel a twang of fear coming from the young halfa. Dani then crossed her arms and put on a show of bravado. "And? It's not like I can't handle Vlad. I've fought him before, remember?"

"We fought him before. And you weren't exactly in the best shape back then."

"Exactly," she shot back. "I was sick then. I'm not anymore. I can handle Vlad." Before Danny could issue a retort, she ended the discussion and flew away with a huff.

"Argh!" Danny let out a frustrated growl. "She's so stubborn!"

Raven gave him a sidelong glance. "I guess it runs in the family," she commented blandly before following Dani.

The rest of the flight home was a quiet one as neither cousin would speak to the other and Raven wasn't sure what she could do to rectify the situation. FentonWorks soon came into sight and the sorceress realized instantly that something was off. "Wasn't the ghost shield supposed to be on?"

"It was," Danny concurred and gave the other halfa an incriminating glare.

"Don't look at me. I snuck out of the house before you turned it on."

Avoiding detection, the three heroes phased through the front door of the house and both Phantoms changed back into their human forms. "I am so glad this night is over," Danny murmured to himself.

"Daniel James Fenton," a stern and authoritative voice called, causing the ghost boy to freeze. Turning to the speaker, he found his mother, dressed in her bath robe, sitting on the couch with scowl adorning her face. "Where in the world have you been?"

* * *

**AN: **

**For those who waited after the credits, here is a special treat for you.**

**So after going through my last chapter, my beta, the talented Cordria pretty much summed up my writing style in a nutshell: Comic booky. In her words: **_**your style of writing is very... overreacting. Everyone screams and pouts and makes big gestures. it's very HERO and evil villian. The characters almost feel like they come right out of the Teen Titans. When I picture your characters, they are all comic-book or anime, rather than real people. And you describe things like you're painting pictures from the comic books with words. **_

**I've never had anyone lay it out for me and I must say, she hit it right on the head. I've never considered myself to have a style or anything like that. It's very indicative of what kind of media I ingest on a regular basis. Other than Teen Titans and Danny Phantom, I'm a big shonen anime fan. I really eat up shows like One Piece, Bleach and Naruto. Big budget action thrillers and comedies are my first movie choices. I never realized how much of what I like gets reflected into how I write, ie dramatic heroes, eccentric villains, big explosions and the like.**

**My typical writing session involves me thinking about how things would go for that chapter and I just write. I lay it out on the screen; do some edits here and there, but basically what you see is what I initially put on there. In terms of long term plots, I generally have what I call defining moments: events that are important plot points to the story. I then take those plot points, take where the characters are now and fill in the blanks.**

**A few months ago I showed a good writer from another fandom (Justice League) my story, since he also liked Teen Titans and DP. I was actually surprised by his response: that he couldn't get into my story, since the characters were too overdramatic. It sorta got to e because it was basically the first really negative comment I got from my two stories, but after what Cori told me, I get why he was hesitant to continue. I guess it's just the way I write and I can't expect everyone to like it, even though I would like everyone to. I am happy with the fact that there are people who do like my stories enough to let me know. I really appreciate the fans who come back chapter after chapter and who enjoy my drama and big time hero vs. villain action. And even if you don't like it, reply anyway. I would like to hear what you guys don't like about my writing. I love learning from all criticism. Both good and bad.**

**Anyway, I've rambled long enough. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy. See you next chapter.**


	18. Chapter 17: Bitter Taste of failure

**Author's Notes: Yes, folks, you are not dreaming. It is I, Funkatron, bringing you another chapter of "Lost and Found". I know it's been a while (four months long). But I seriously needed a break. School piled on me and I had seriously lost my writing mojo for a while there. I knew how I wanted the story to go but I was clueless on what to write. It's weird, I know, but I'm glad you guys were patient enough to wait for me. You fans are truly awesome. I thank you for the myriad of reviews you sent my way.**

**Now, a few things changed since I last wrote. has implemented a way to do two way crossovers, so now both my stories appear in the listings for both Danny Phantom and Teen Titans. If you are a Titans fanfic reader reading this for the first time, Hi and stop what you are doing. This story is a sequel for a story I wrote called "Haunted Destiny". I suggest you read that first, since it'll make "Lost and Found" make more sense to you. If you have read "HD", enjoy the rest of the story!**

**More notes at the end of the chapter

* * *

**

Lost and Found Chapter 17: Bitter Taste of Failure

After dealing with super villains and trouble with his cousin, Danny Fenton wanted nothing more than to get back into his bed and sleep off the rest of his night in blissful slumber. Unfortunately neither he, Raven, or Danielle were expecting the less than warm welcome they had come home to. Sitting on the living room sofa was Danny's mother, Maddie Fenton, both her arms and legs crossed and with a frown firmly engraved onto her features. Standing behind the Fenton matriarch were Jack and Jazz Fenton, both of whom gave him apologetic looks.

Danny unfortunately knew the look she was giving them quite intimately due his late night ghost hunting activities. His body reacted instantly by stiffening up and his nervous tick manifested as his hand traveled to its familiar spot behind his neck. "Uh, hi mom," he finally managed to anxiously croak, hoping to diffuse the situation somewhat.

"I asked you a question, young man," she stated, wasting no time with pleasantries and furrowing the crease in her brow even further. "Where have you three been this time of night?"

The harshness of her voice gave him pause like a deer caught in the headlights of an incoming car. It wasn't as if he had a reason to feel guilty this time, given that his parents now knew his secret, yet he found that he couldn't quite conjure a response to his mother's query. Luckily for him, someone else decided to answer for him.

"We were out on a mission," Raven deftly responded as she took on the role as mediator. "There was a burglary in the city, so we went in to investigate. "

The three teens waited perilously for a response from Maddie, with Dani looking the most perturbed out of the group, having never witnessed Mrs. Fenton fury before. After a moment that seemed to have lasted too long for their comfort, Maddie's features seemed to soften somewhat, though a hint of authority still remained in her eyes. Getting up Mrs. Fenton walked over to Danny and Danielle and in a move that surprised them both, she pulled them into an unyielding embrace.

"Mom?!" the ghost boy yelped, both in surprise at the sudden change his mother's behavior and the fact that her embrace put pressure on the wounds he sustained in the previous battle. He forced himself not to squirm, hoping that his mother hadn't noticed his current condition.

Unfortunately for him, Maddie had noticed his yelp and quickly disengaged her embrace in order to inspect the two. "Are you two okay? You aren't hurt are you?"

"We're fine, Mom, really," Danny tried to reassure, hoping to persuade his mother he wasn't too badly injured and at the same time wondering why he felt a wave of déjà vu hit him. It wasn't until a few moments later when it finally clicked as to why it felt so familiar: his mother had the same concerned look during their talk shortly after Dani had been cured. Had she been that worried about them?

Finding the courage to compose herself. Maddie began to address her son. "Danny, I know how much being a hero and fighting ghosts are important to you and I know we're all still adjusting to the situation, but I think there need to be a few changes. If you need to go out at night you have to at least let us know. Your father and I were both worried sick when we found out you weren't home."

Guilt slammed into Danny's gut like a well placed ecto-blast from one of his enemies as the tone of his mother's voice hit home. Sneaking out in the dead of night to fight off ghosts had been a usual occurrence for the halfa and he never really gave a second thought to the fact that is late night Phantom duties would cause his parents this much anxiety.

Mrs. Fenton continued, "Danny, we are very proud of you for what you do, but I guess we'll always be worried about you; it's something we just have to get used to. The least that we ask is that you let us know what is going on in your life. You don't have to keep secrets from us anymore."

"I wasn't trying to hide anything from you guys," he tried to explain.

"I know, dear. You were just doing what you're used to. You have to realize that things are different now and like I said before, we all need a little time to adjust to everything. I just want you to know that you can come to us for anything."

"Your mother's right, Danno," Jack chimed in after letting his wife do most of the talking. His voice seemed to carry his usual enthusiastic tone and yet still managed to be somewhat somber at the same time. "We'll be there if you ever need help. All you got to do is ask."

"Thanks, guys," Danny replied thoughtfully, thankful for his parents' support. "And I'm sorry if I made you guys worry about me."

Maddie simply smiled and hugged the two youngest Fentons again, though this time her embrace did not feel as needy. "It's alright, dear. We'll talk more about this tomorrow. There is going to be a lot we need to discuss, especially when it comes to your curfew."

"Wait, curfew?!" The halfa gave her a somewhat alarmed look. "Come on, mom…"

"You still have one, young man, hero or not. We'll be a little bit lenient during your summer break, but once school starts you are going to need all the rest you can get, especially with this being your junior year."

Grumbling under his breath, Danny was beginning to second guess letting his parents find out about his secret when he heard a giggle escape the lips of his cousin, earning her a glare.

Danielle's small outburst caught Mrs. Fenton's attention, "You're not out of the woods either, young lady. You need a curfew, too, especially at your age." This quickly silenced the laughter which was soon replaced by a groan. Maddie turned to her son once again. "We definitely need to talk about bringing your cousin with you during your Titan activities…"

"I didn't bring her with me," Danny interrupted in a tone so adamant he even surprised himself. "I told her to stay put at home," he continued, "but instead she followed me when it easily could have been a trap…"

"But it wasn't," an indignant Dani countered with a glare at her cousin. "I don't get what's your problem is! We kicked their butts and they didn't get that doohickey."

"The problem is that you shouldn't have been there. I told you to stay at home, where it was safe." Danny put extra emphasis on the word 'safe". "You just barged in there without any clue on whether it was a trap set up by Vlad or…"

"I don't need you to protect me from Vlad!" the ghost girl nearly screamed in frustration at the top of her lungs. "I can handle him…"

"No you can't!" Danny's voice elevated to match hers. "You aren't ready to face him. You don't know him like I know him…"

"How can you even say that? I know him better than anyone; I was the one he chased around for a whole year by his Frankenstein rejects!"

"And that's why I don't want you to face Vlad…"

"I'm not sick anymore! And you can't tell me what to do! You're not my Father…"

"That's enough, you two!" Maddie's voice silenced the agitated halfas, though the conflict continued in the form of a fierce glaring contest between the two. "I don't what happened tonight, but I won't tolerate this type of behavior. You two are to head straight to bed, no questions asked."

"But…"

"No questions asked," she reiterated sharply, cutting Danny off in his tracks and causing him to nod obediently.

"Fine by me," Danielle stated as she abruptly levitated and phased through the living room ceiling to her room.

Shoulders hunched in defeat, Danny decided to use the stairs to the second floor, leaving the rest of the Fentons, along with Raven, behind.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

If there was one thing that Isaac Vector hated more than anything else was failure. The bitterness of defeat was a taste he had hope he would never experience again but unfortunately that now was not the case. The super powered teen was currently occupying a large, cylindrical med tank in his mother's personal laboratory, floating a specialized mix of chemicals and nanites that would heal his injuries from his most recent fight. Unfortunately, the machine could do nothing to heal his wounded pride.

Vector, like the others created by his mother, had been bred from the finest genetic material to be the best. As far as he could remember, his body and mind had been trained, fine tuned, and sharpened in numerous forms of martial arts, strategy and tactics on the battlefield. It was what he was literally born for: to succeed in any mission given to him without question and without fail. Quite frankly, there was no way he should have lost, but there he was, licking his wounds after losing to nothing more than a couple of half dead brats.

What perturbed Vector the most wasn't his failure in procuring the device that Mr. Cain sent them to retrieve his employer's reaction to his failure that worried him. He had expected Mr. Cain to show at least some sort anger or disappointment after they had returned from their mission empty handed; instead the billionaire hadn't appeared to be fazed in the slightest. Cain had downplayed their apparent defeat, assuring them that the intel they had gained from the Phantoms was well worth the loss they had sustained, though his words did little to comfort the teen.

Had Cain expected them to fail? It was a thought that echoed the recesses of his mind, haunting him not unlike the ghosts he fought just hours earlier. He had hoped never to let down the people who gave him life, gave him a reason for living, and yet this was twice now he felt he had. He knew he had to prove himself now more than ever and he shuddered to think what would happen to him if he lost again.

A knock on the glass of the chamber broke the boy's train of thought and the tension that began to build in his mind. Not bothering to open his eyes, Vector lifted his hand and pressed a button on the breathing apparatus he wore on his face, activating the internal mike. "Sparx, I thought I told you to get some rest," he began, assuming it was his partner there to check up on him. She had been worried about his condition earlier that night and it had taken almost a half hour to finally convince her to go to her quarters.

"Wakey, wakey, Izzy. Time for your wake-up call!" a voice he wasn't expecting called though the intercom.

Opening his eyes to confirm his suspicions, he let out a highly audible groan at his new guest. "Cora," he replied in a displeased tone. "What are you doing here?"

The person he was addressing was a girl who looked no more than eleven years old with shoulder-length wavy, aquamarine hair and matching eyes. She wore a one-piece swimsuit covered by a moist towel around her shoulders a pair of swim trunks, suggesting that she had just come from swimming somewhere. The girl known as Cora gave Vector a smirk before she replied. "Come on, Izzy; can't I come see my old partner for a visit?"

"You know I don't especially like it when you call me that, Cora," he grumbled. Although he tolerated some of the names Sparx had given him, he thoroughly despised being called 'Izzy'.

"Yeah, yeah, I know: 'Vector on missions, Isaac on leave.' You don't have to tell me, you know. I got enough of that crap when we used to work together."

His eyes furrowed slightly, "Since you aren't going to answer my question, I'm assuming Mother is going to be late coming into work this morning."

Cora grinned. "Hit the nail on the head big guy. Looks like she had a little too much fun after she patched you up, if you know what I'm saying. She wanted me to make sure you healed up alright."

"I wish she wouldn't drink so much," Vector remarked with a sigh, disappointed by his mother's leisurely activities.

"Yeah, Mom sure loves getting wasted," she agreed with a grin as she inspected the computer terminal connected to Vector's chamber. Her fingers began to move across the keyboard expertly, showing her proficiency in using the equipment despite her seemingly young age. "So," she began as she worked. "I heard you and Blondie got your butts whooped last night."

He sighed before replying, "There were … complications with the operation."

"Complications? You couldn't even handle some punk ghost kid! What's the matter, big guy? Losing your touch?" Her question was answered by silence. "Or maybe you lost because of your crummy choice in partners. If it was you and me, like in the good old days, we would have kicked his ass without breaking a sweat."

"It wasn't in the scope of the mission to annihilate Phantom," he defended, though he felt the words sounded a bit hollow. "The mission was to test his abilities and to bring back that device Daedalus wanted."

"So what, you're saying you're happy you with a half-assed job?"

"What I'm trying to say is that our job wasn't to finish him off, as you are so eager to do. Despite a few missteps, we followed the mission parameters to the letter. You do remember how to do that, don't you Cora?"

Her eyes twitched in response to his question as she let out a low growl. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I was just saying that you are so eager to say that we would have done better if you had accompanied me instead of Sparx when I seem to have remembered that our last mission together did not fare as well."

Cora's nostrils flared as she looked up from the computer screen, anger clearly evident on your face. "Don't you dare bring that up, Vector! Don't you fucking blame me for that time…"

"I don't blame you," he interrupted somewhat somberly, catching her off guard. "I blame myself. I was in command that night and therefore blame rests solely on my shoulders for that mission. It's a commander's job to manage the situation and his subordinates and couldn't do either."

"So what, you're saying that I'm some whiney brat that needs to be 'managed'? Screw that! I'm sick and tired of everyone treating me like some dumb little shit I'm the oldest for Trigon's sake! I was the one Mom made first, before you and the twins and yet I'm the one who keeps getting the short end of the stick! You get to go back on missions with Little Miss Sparkplug while I'm stuck here being Mom's lab assistant."

"You know me better than that, Cora; I've never cared about your appearance and I've never spoken down to you because of it. That is why I'm not going to sugarcoat this for you: I chose Sparx over you because despite her… quirks, she can at least follow my orders. You, on the other hand, are reckless and impulsive. I'd rather have a partner that I can trust than one who is a loose cannon." Vector watched as she seethed with rage gave him a glare that she would normally reserve for an enemy.

"You know what? Fine, screw you and Blondie. See if I give a rat's ass. Once Mom makes a new partner for me, we'll see who the best is. I don't need you, anyway." Cora pressed a final button on the panel, activating exiting procedure which began draining the medical fluid from the chamber. She then turned and began to walk towards the exit. "Don't come crawling to me when you lose again." A trail of swears could be heard as the aqua-marine haired preteen made her departure.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDP

The Private jet of Vlad Masters landed just as the sun began to rise above the Amity Park sky the morning after attempted break in at Axion Labs. The billionaire had known about the robbery the moment he received the silent alarm last night and decided to use it as an excuse to make a personal visit to see if certain investments had finally come into fruition. As he exited the jet he put on a pair of sunglasses to filter out the morning glare and spotted the limo that awaited him, ready to take him wherever he wished. Entering the vehicle, he instructed the driver, who was in actuality a ghost minion in disguise, to take him directly to Axion so he could check on the extent of damage sustained from last night's attack.

The device he had sent to Axion to be guarded was one that tied in very closely to his future plans: a highly advanced gene deciphering chip that could be used for the highest quality in genetics research. The chip itself was a joint project between himself and Technus, a ghost whose obsession was technology. When Daniel had helped Danielle escape his grasp over a year ago, much of his cloning equipment had been destroyed and he needed the chip to get back on track to creating the perfect son.

Vlad had gone to Technus for help because, quite frankly, the ghost owed him a big favor and Vlad was always one to collect. When Vlad had first acquired Axion Labs, Technus had made the unfortunately foolish mistake of hacking into its systems and infiltrating a very important data satellite in another plot to take over the world. Of course, his plans, as usual, caught the attention of Phantom and in the ensuing battle the satellite was destroyed, costing Masters quite a large sum of money. During the aftermath, Vlad gave the ghost a simple choice: to help with a few technical projects or he would send the Fright Knight to deal with him in the most gruesome way possible. Not surprisingly, the technophile ghost chose the former, effectively becoming Vlad's slave for the indefinite future.

Although Technus was somewhat of a boasting idiot, when it came to technology he was rarely outmatched, as was seen by the various devices and components he made for the half-ghost billionaire. Many of them were already put into use in a number of Vlad's projects throughout his various companies and the gene deciphering chip was an extremely important part of his immediate plans. Unfortunately, it seemed that others found the chip just as important, if the recent attacks to acquire it by what he suspected to be a cooperate rival were any indication.

He was glad that he had chosen Amity Park to hide it for a number of reasons: he was quite confident in the skills of Damon Gray, a rarity amongst the ones under his employ. He also knew that if trouble had come that Daniel would eventually show up out of heroic duty, despite the fact he would be helping his known enemy in the process. Of course, there was also the fact that this whole situation gave Vlad an excuse to give Amity a visit so he could personally oversee the retrieval of another piece of the puzzle: Danielle.

Arriving at the scene, the limo stopped at the front gate and the halfa stepped out to assess the property damage, which he wasn't too worried about. His eyes widened somewhat at the extent of the damage, especially the that done to the front doors and the power substation off to the side. Construction had already begun to bring everything back to their proper place, though he could tell it would take more than a few dollars to repair it all. Spotting Mr. Gray, who was directing his men and the construction, he put on his best sympathetic face and shortened the distance between them to make himself known. "Damon, I'm so happy to see that you are doing well."

"Mr. Masters?" the security director faltered at the sudden appearance of his boss. "I wasn't expecting you. Is something wrong?"

Vlad noticed the slight nervousness in Damon's voice and smiled inwardly before he continued, "It's you I should be asking that question, my good man. The minute I heard about what happened last night, I felt the need to come and make sure all of my valued workers were safe and sound." In reality he cared for his employees as much as cared about any other disposable asset, but it was always good to play the caring owner to bolster company moral and productivity.

"Thank you sir," Mr. Gray replied with a look of relief. "Luckily no one was severely hurt. The most anyone got were a few bruises and electrical burns. The building took most of the damage and it'll take a while for us to restore power."

"I'm glad no one was seriously hurt. And what about the package?"

A frown appeared on Damon's face at the mention of the mystery object he had been protecting. "That is safe, thank goodness. We have Phantom to thank for that."

Vlad could hardly hide the grin on his lips. "Yes, indeed. I read the police report. That Phantom boy did an amazing job."

"We were lucky he showed up when he did. I'm only sorry we couldn't do a better job of protecting the lab."

"Nonsense, Mr. Gray. You did the best that you could under the circumstances. It's unfortunate that those rapscallions got as far as they did, but that's all under the bridge. I do hope that future improvements will be made to our security."

"Yes, sir," Damon replied. "But I do have to ask what was so important that someone would send metahumans to steal?"

Annoyance flashed on the billionaire's face, though for only a moment. "Unfortunately, I cannot say. It is quite important to the future of VladCo and its subsidiaries and I appreciate all the effort you and your men have put into guarding it." He took one last look of the grounds before continuing, "Now, then, It looks like you have everything in order here. I'll be in town for a few days while I make the arrangements to move it to another location. I hope that you can keep everything secure till then."

"We'll do our best, sir."

"Now that's what I want to hear, man! Keep up the good work." Just as quickly as he came, the half ghost made his way back to his limousine, instructing his driver to bring him to his hotel. He allowed the muscles of his face to relax from putting on the mask of the caring employer and his mind began to calculate what his next move would be. From what he read in the police report, there were two super-powered thieves last night, though the police and Mr. Gray reported that only Phantom dealt with them. Though he knew that young Daniel's skills were increasing greatly since their last encounter, he had the feeling that he probably had help, most likely from a certain clone.

Though it wasn't full confirmation, it was enough for him to put things in motion. If Danielle was indeed at full health, which he didn't doubt with Maddie's abilities, he would need to find a way to lure her out while distracting Daniel and the Fentons in the process. It would be a difficult task, knowing how well Daniel and his parents would probably protect the girl, but he was sure that an opportunity would come to his attention. He picked up his cell phone and dialed a special number. "I need you to keep an eye out on the Fenton household. I want you to report anything and everything that happens, including if you see young Danielle there. And please make sure you aren't seen; the last thing we need is to tip our little badger off."

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

A groan erupted from Danny Fenton's lips as he awoke from a less than splendid night of slumber. The injuries he had sustained the night before were enough to make things uncomfortable for him, making the halfa toss and turn all night. When he wasn't cursing the pain in his back, thoughts of the arguments he had with his cousin echoed in the back of his mind, making sleep almost impossible. He emitted another groan as he got up to sit at the edge of his bed when a rapping on his door caught his attention.

"Rough night?" Raven asked from his doorway with a look of concern.

He gave her a wry smile. "You could say that." He began to stretch his arm up but a sharp jolt of pain caused the halfa to hiss suddenly.

"You're still hurt," she stated as the concern in her face increased. "I should have a look at that."

"It'll be fine in a few hours, tops," he said, brushing off the vestiges of his wounds. "It was a lot worse last night."

"That wasn't a question," she declared. "Shirt off, now."

Surprised by his girlfriend's forcefulness on the matter, Danny decided to comply and gingerly peeled the t-shirt from his back, making sure not to aggravate the still tender bruise located there. He waited as she walked over the other side of the bed and heard the springs of the mattress creek under her weight. Noticing how suggestive being shirtless with a girl could be, Danny could feel the warm glow of a blush spread across his cheeks and suddenly shivered when he began to feel the now familiar hands of Raven working her magic on his back.

"You should have let me heal this last night," she chastised, though with less firmness than Danny knew she was capable of.

"Sorry," was all he could say to reply. He felt his muscles relax and the pain in his back lessen as Raven's hands lightly roamed over the skin of his back and imparted their magical energies. Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he was beginning to enjoy these sessions with her, feeling vulnerable with allowing her to touch him like this but at the same time feeling safe and at ease under her care. Despite this, his memories of last night one again began to resurface and with them some uneasiness. "Uh, Raven?" he began to ask meekly. "You haven't seen Dani this morning, have you? Do you know if she's still mad?"

Her hands hesitated, stopping onto his shoulders before she replied, "I haven't seen her since last night."

He gave long, frustrated sigh. "I really screwed things up, haven't I?"

"I think that covers it," she agreed bluntly, though her voice had a hint of sympathy.

"It's not like I don't she can't do anything herself or anything. It's just that… this is Vlad we're talking about here. He's done so much to her already. I don't want her to face him again, not if I can help it."

"You can't protect her forever, you know," Raven replied. "Sooner or later she is going to have to face him."

"That's what I'm afraid of. I could barely keep him at bay when I first got my powers. The only reason I barely managed to win against him was by dumb luck and even then, he always found a way to get something out of it." His body hunched forward, mirroring the defeated pitch of his voice. "I don't want her to have to deal with that; to have to deal with him. She deserves better than that. She shouldn't have to deal with the crap I went though." Once again hearing the sound of his mattress springs squeaking and feeling Raven's weight move on the bed, he glanced at his side just she took a seat next to him.

"When you first had gotten your powers, you didn't have anybody to teach you how to deal with them, right?" she asked.

"I did have Sam and Tucker."

"But you three learned it the hard way. You didn't have anyone to look up to or to teach you how to be a hero. You had to learn that on your own." She got a nod from him in reply. "Dani is lucky because she has that: she has you to look up to and to teach her about her powers and how to fight ghosts. And she has you to watch her back, especially when Vlad is involved. Instead of just trying to protect her, you should be teaching her how to protect herself."

He had a thoughtful look on his face before replying. "Something tells me she wouldn't listen even if I tried. I did a pretty good job at pissing her off."

"Just give her some time. She may be angry now, but I don't think it'll last long," Raven reassured with a small smile.

"I hope you're right." Though he still looked a bit unsure, Danny's demeanor seemed a little bit more upbeat than it was before. "You must be sick of always knocking sense into me."

She gave him a devilish smirk. "I may just have to start charging you, between all the advice and the healing I do."

"Hmmm… then I'll need to find a way of repaying you then," Danny replied, leaning in closer.

"I can think of a few ideas…" she said alluringly, closing the gap between them until their lips met in tender union, sending ripples of pleasure through both parties. Their moment of bliss was cut short, however, when Danny moved away from Raven, leaving her slightly breathless.

"I have a surprise for you," Danny stated mysteriously, drawing a confused stare from his girlfriend. He grinned and then dove an intangible hand though his bed in search of something that lay underneath. A cry of triumph erupted from his lips as he lifted a black and blue gift bag from the depths of his bed, smiling madly as he presented it to her. "Tada!"

"What is this supposed to be?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A birthday present of course."

The sorceress gave him a questioning gaze. "But it's not my birthday."

"Yeah, but it was a few weeks ago, wasn't it?" the halfa explained innocently.

"Who told you?" she asked with anger that was more of a show than anything else.

He grinned coyly. "I'm not at liberty to reveal my sources."

Raven stared at him intently for a few moments before giving him a smirk of her own. "It was Cyborg, wasn't it?"

"Hey, no peeking!" he protested. "It takes all the fun out it when you have a girlfriend that can read minds."

"Actually, I only guessed, but thank you for confirming," Raven's smirk grew even wider at the look of shock on his face. "Now, I seem to remember you have something to give to me."

"Aren't you the eager one?" His demeanor changed, going from playful to somewhat nervous. "It's actually two presents." He delicately placed the bag into her hands, gulping to lubricate his dry throat.

Noticing how anxious Danny had gotten, Raven took care to open the bag and noticed that there were two, neatly wrapped boxes inside, both roughly the size of pencil cases. She picked one randomly and meticulously removed the wrapping paper, unconsciously holding her breath as she did so. Lifting the lid of the box slowly, her eyes widened as they took in its contents silently: a simple small chain necklace made out of black gold, on the end of which was a small bird, made out of the same metal, with outstretched wings.

"I-I hope you like it," Danny stammered timidly. "I know, it's probably totally corny, but it looked cool and…" His yammering was stopped by Raven's lips, which caught him by surprise.

"I love it," she stated simply, eliciting a grin from the halfa, as he was still reeling from the kiss she had given him. While he remained in his half dazed state, the sorceress proceeded to open the second box with the same care as the first, revealing two simple silver bracelets whose design looked vaguely familiar. "You didn't happen to get this from Cyborg, did you?"

"Uhhh… is that a bad thing?" he admitted sheepishly.

"Depends," she stated frankly, examining one of the loops of metal. "It looks safe enough."

"Cy wouldn't give me a joke gift to give to you, would he?"

"He and Beast Boy have… unique tastes in humor," she explained, placing the jewelry back in their boxes and giving her boyfriend another kiss, though this time on the cheek. "Thank you, though you really shouldn't have."

"I wanted to," Danny replied proudly. "I mean, you've done a lot for me the past few days and I wanted to thank you."

"I appreciate the gifts." Getting up, Raven made her way to the door with her bag in tow. "And don't worry about Danielle. I don't think she'll stay mad forever."

Feeling a whole lot better, he watched his girlfriend leave the room. He didn't necessarily know what he was going to do next to handle the situation with his cousin but he felt a lot more confident that there would be a way to fix it.

RRDPRRDPRRRDPRRDPRRDPRRDPRR

Raven never considered herself one to care about things like jewelry or to care about how beautiful she looked; those types of thoughts were stamped out of her as a child, among other things. Keeping a hygienic and ordered appearance was part of her training to control her powers and emotions and never once had she thought of changing it for any reason, let alone to look attractive. Despite this, she now found herself in the Fenton bathroom, scrutinizing herself in the mirror above the sink as she wore the present she had newly obtained from her boyfriend.

Her fingers absently traced the edges of the metal that took the form of her namesake and her face couldn't help but sprout a small smile, having never received a gift like this before. She could tell that Danny had put a lot of effort in choosing it so she decided that she was going to cherish it greatly.

Raven lifted up her other gift from where it lay in its box and eyed it suspiciously, taking into account where it had come from. To the naked eye, it seemed simple enough; they were simple band of silver-colored metal, which she recognized as the same material that made up Cyborg's cybernetic parts. Set in the bracelets was what looked like a blue gem, but on closer inspection, circuitry could be seen, also like Cyborg; why would a bracelet need circuitry?

"Wait, it couldn't be…" she asked herself as she realized why they seemed so familiar, apart from the similarities to her teammate. Taking a bracelet in each hand, she held them so that the fake jewel in each faced one another and held her breath as she brought them close together. Suddenly there was a flash of light that temporarily blinded the sorceress and left spots in her eyes. She grumbled about getting back at Cyborg as her vision cleared, stopping suddenly as she noticed something not quite right about the image that greeted her…

* * *

**AN: As my Beta, Cordria, put it: "… … … YOU STOPPED YOU EVIL EVIL MAN! What happened? What's she see?" Bwahaha. What did she see indeed. For those who are true fans of the show, you probably have an idea of what is going on. **

**Now, two things I would like address, one of which you have probably noticed in this chapter. I added some four letter words, something I haven't done since the beginning of the first story. I have good reason to do it, however. Cora, th character who uttered the obscenities, is a character I've been waiting to write for a while and I'm glad I was finally able to introduce her. As she stated, she was the first of Inessa Meternovva's "children", but physically she looks like the youngest. The reason her mother made her this way is pretty simple: she thought it was cute :p. **

**This of course, pisses her off to no end. You can see that Vector doesn't tease her looks, but one of the twins she mentioned does (the twins get revealed next chapter). And so, Cora swears like a sailor as a misguided way to sound more adult (like most underage kids who start swearing do). It's also a defense mechanism she falls back on when she is teased (as it is seen next chapter). I won't turn the story into a swearfest whenever she appears but I feel that its part of her character and I hope you guys enjoy reading about her as much as I enjoy writing her.**

**The next matter of discussion is the fight between Danny and Dani. I've been a little sensitive lately about making the conflicts in the story a bit more believable and to tone down some of the drama a tad. I love drama, but I also know when too much is a bad thing, so I hope I've hit a nice balance. I tried to make it so that neither side is necessarily right or wrong. Dani is rightfully miffed that Danny isn't letting in on the action and Danny has a right to try and protect his cousin from Vlad. The problem is how they tried to prove their points.**

**Dang, look at me: I seem to have almost wrote a dissertation on my characters. Sorry to bore with randomness from my head. See you next chapter and make sure to review!**


	19. Chapter 18: Morning Calm

**Author's Notes:*bows profusely***

**I did it again. I am sorry for those who had to wait three months for this chapter. I'm terribly sorry for making you wait and I hope you can find it in the goodness in your hearts not to beat me to a pulp too badly. That being said, I have some nice goodies for you at the end of the chapter for compensation.**

**Enjoy!

* * *

**

Lost and Found Chapter 18: Calm Morning

Valara Pyre was on a mission.

It had been days since she had awoken from her coma and she was no closer to finding out what had happened to her than when she had first gained consciousness. She suspected that the time she had lost probably had something to do with the dreams she had been having more and more frequently. Unfortunately she couldn't make heads or tails of the cryptic messages that they were being conveyed. None of the more recent ones were as intense as the first, though there was one element that tied them all together: the mysterious girl with fiery red hair who had an uncanny resemblance to herself.

Though her injuries were almost completely healed thanks to the doctor with the weird accent, Valara had been restricted to her room and the more time she spent there the more restless she became, despite the occasional visits from Julian. She had suspicions that his visits and the books that he would bring her were nothing more than ways to keep her appeased. Eventually, she felt that she couldn't take it anymore and in spite of his warnings to the contrary, Valara decided to do a little exploring outside of the confines of her room.

She found that some of the clothes that she had owned during her stay in Jump City had been neatly folded inside her nightstand. Choosing something simple (a baggy pair of pants and a matching hoodie) she carefully poked her head out of the room's entrance, turning left and right to make sure the coast was clear. Luckily for her, the staff of the facility had yet to arrive to their posts that morning, leaving the hallways relatively empty and giving her the opportunity she had needed.

Valara carefully took a step out of safety of her room, her eyes darting to and fro for any signs of danger. When she found none, she bravely crossed the threshold and began to walk the large, curved halls. As she adjusted her glasses, she could feel the adrenaline rush through her blood stream, making her almost giddy with excitement. Her moment of euphoria was cut short by a buzzing sound that that quickly increased in volume behind her. She turned just as a blur of yellow and black slammed into her, knocking her glasses clear off her face and leaving her in a disoriented and bruised heap on the ground. Fighting off the discombobulation, she opened her eyes to find her world blurry and by reflex began feeling out for her lost spectacles.

"Owie," she heard feminine voice say which stopped her from her fervent search. "Oh, my gosh, are you okay!?" the voice asked in panic.

Valara looked up at the figure that stood over her, not catching much detail from the blurriness except the fact that it was a girl much like herself. She squinted as she replied. "My… my glasses…"

The blurry figure moved, bending down to pick something up. "You mean these?"

The young Azarian graciously received the glasses and carefully returned them to their rightful place on the bridge of her nose. With her vision now clear, she took another look at the mystery person and found that her first assumptions were correct: it was a girl much the same age as her with wild blonde hair and wearing a peculiar black and yellow outfit.

A look of worry was firmly plastered on this girl's face. "I'm soooo sorry. No one's here in the morning and I normally do my morning run and I didn't see you and I'm soooo sorry. Are you alright?" She held out a hand to help her collision victim get up.

"I-I'm fine," Valara mumbled quietly, the years of practiced shyness that helped survive in her home of Azarath kicking in. She took a glance at the extended hand warily, unsure of whether to accept it's aid when the hand in question took the choice away from her, grabbing her arm and pulling her upright in one fluid and effortless motion.

"There we go!" the blonde said with a grin on her face. "Hey, you look familiar. Have we met before?"

"I, uh…" the brunette stuttered nervously, unable to vocalize her answer so she shook her head instead. "No, I don't think so…"

"Really? That's weird. I could have sworn I've seen you before. Oh well." The bright eyed girl extended her hand out once again. "Hi! I'm Caitlin, but you can call me Sparx if you want; everyone else does, though Cora does call me Sparkplug sometimes… or Goldie locks… or Blondie…"

"V-Valara," the sorceress managed to blurt out after gaining enough courage.

"Valara? That's a pretty name! Nice to meet you!"

Valara curtly nodded, unsure how to handle Sparx's overly gregarious behavior. The young sorceress never had many friends, especially during her stay on Earth and the few that she did have were not as… lively… as this girl. Before she managed to utter a meager salutation, her stomach decided to speak up for her, growling loudly for both attention and food. One of her hands reached for her stomach and the other for her mouth as blood rushed to her cheeks and a mortified look adorned her face.

Looking curiously at her new friend for a moment, a grin suddenly appeared across Sparx's face as a thought came to her. "Hey, sounds like you're hungry!" She grabbed Valara by the wrist and began to drag her down the corridor.

"W-where are we going?" the sorceress timidly asked as she was easily pulled along against her will.

"Duh! We're going to go eat at the mess hall! Come on, slow poke!"

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Morning in the Fenton kitchen was unusually quiet, which Jazz Fenton took full advantage of before the tranquility devolved into her family's normal chaos. With a hot mug of coffee in hand, the eldest Fenton sibling was determined to make today's outing to the mall as memorable and of course efficient as possibly could. Jotting into her notebook, she planned an itinerary of every shop that they would visit. She wanted today to be perfect; after all, this was the first she would be hanging out with her cousin- no, little sister.

Jazz smiled at the thought of having a little sister, someone who could look up to her and do things with that could be described as 'girly'. She was planning to spend as much time as she possibly could to bond with the newest member of the family that summer. She wanted to make the most of the time she had left before she left for college later that fall. Her new sister needed proper nurturing and she was more than ready to nurture. Her preparation was interrupted by the pattering of a small pair of feet as they quickly descended down the steps leading downstairs. Moments later, her target in question crossed the kitchen threshold.

"Morning!" Danielle Fenton greeted ecstatically as she entered the kitchen at breakneck speed with a bright smile firmly planted on her face and a twinkle in her eyes.

"Morning, Dani. Food's on the table," Jazz replied gregariously, noticing how excited the younger girl looked and that the argument from last night seemed all but forgotten. "Looks like someone is excited."

"Uh huh!" Dani said with a giggle as she sat down at the table once she noticed that breakfast had already been set before she began to attack the food with reckless abandon. "Where is Mrs. Fenton?" she asked with a mouth still full of food.

Jazz couldn't help but smile before she replied. "Mom and Dad are getting the RV ready for the trip to the mall. They're clearing out all of the extra gadgets to make room for all the things we're getting for you."

This seemed to stop Dani dead in her tracks as her eyes to get even wider than they had been before at the thought of all the stuff that could fit in the Fenton RV. "Really?"

"Mom and I want to make sure you have everything you need: clothes, shoes, furniture, a computer…" She continued for a good minute, rattling off items from the list she had compiled earlier. "We're also going to need to stop by the book store to get some books and a few testing materials."

"Testing?"

Jazz nodded. "We're going to need to know how much you know and fill in the rest before you start school in the fall. You look about fourteen, so you'll probably start off as a freshman at Casper High." Knowing how similar Dani was to Danny, she was expecting some sort of complaint about the talk of school but was quite surprised by Danielle's reaction, who seemed almost excited by the prospect of getting an education.

"Really?" she asked hopefully. "I get to go to school?" Her eyes dropped down to her feet. "I've never been to school before… or had my own room."

"Well, now you'll be able to do all the normal stuff a teenager does; well, as normal as you can get in a house full of ghost hunters, anyway."

"Not that Danny would let me do any ghost hunting," Dani grumbled under her breath as she continued her meal.

Jazz was about to give some sisterly encouragement to cheer up the now somber halfa when Danny came into the kitchen and made himself known.

"Morning," he greeted although a bit timidly as he entered and spotted his sister and his clone.

Jazz watched as he made his way to the table, noticing the caution in his gait as if he were maneuvering a minefield. She also saw the look that Dani had been giving her cousin the moment he had arrived; a cold hard stare that Jazz was quite surprised the girl could muster, given her brighter demeanor just moment before. She could tell that both Phantoms had something to say, though they were deathly silent for what she figured were not quite the same reasons.

After a moment of staring, Dani once again focused on her breakfast, though not with the same fervor as she had before.

Jazz felt sympathetic as she watched her brother bite his lip and endure the icy treatment he was receiving from his cousin. The disagreement from last night had not extinguished as it had first seemed, though she had gotten the impression that Danny was being far less defensive than he had been at the peak of the argument and he almost seemed remorseful. She observed as Danny began to poke his breakfast with a fork, indicating that his appetite was nonexistent that morning and confirming her suspicions of his regret.

"So, Danny," Jazz began, hoping to interrupt the upsurge of silence that threatened to engulf the morning. "What were your plans for today?"

Her question seemed to catch him off guard, interrupting the examination and dissection of his meal. "No, nothing really planned for today. Why do you ask?"

"You should come with us," Jazz suggested with a devious glint in her eyes as she gave her brother a chance to redeem himself with Danielle. "We probably going to get a little crazy with the shopping and we're going to need all the arms we can get."

Danny had a genuinely thoughtful look on his face as he pondered on whether or not to come with them on their trip when the choice was unceremoniously taken from him.

"He's not coming," Dani declared, speaking up for the first time since Danny entered the room.

"Danielle?" Jazz questioned the girl's sudden declaration. "We're going to need some extra hands today, so I thought…"

"He's not coming!" the younger halfa repeated, though this time much more forcibly as she pointed an accusing finger at Danny. "The only reason he would want to come is to keep an eye on me! I already told him I can take care of myself!"

Danny seemed like he had something to say in reply, but the ghost boy held back his tongue, continuing his more passive stance against his cousin.

"Am I interrupting anything?" a voice coming from the doorway interrupted, cutting through the mounting tension and attracting the attention of Jazz and the others in the room. From the nature of the voice, they had anticipated seeing the family's guest, Raven, standing at the entrance of the kitchen, though none of them were expecting the noticeable change in her appearance: her face and hands had a more healthier tint of pink than their usually grayish hue. Brown hair now replaced her unnaturally violet mane and the jewel that normally adorned her forehead was now missing. The only things that were familiar were her signature leotard and cloak and her violet eyes which looked apprehensively at the group in the kitchen.

"Wow." Danny was the first to speak, vocalizing what was everyone else's mind. "I didn't even know you could do that…"

Raven's face evolved into her trademark half-smirk at her boyfriend's reaction and held up her arm, pointing to the bracelet that now adorned her wrist. "You can thank Cyborg for that." She pressed the bracelet onto the matching one on her other arm and the air around her distorted and shimmered for a few moments before revealing her familiar complexion. "The bracelets have holographic emitters embedded in them," she explained.

"Oh," Danny simply stated, still in a small stupor over this recent turn of events. "Wow."

The sorceress gave a small grin before she began to speak again. "I'm probably going to need some clothes since all I brought was my uniform. Mind if I join you on your little trip?"

It took a few moments for Jazz to realize that Raven's question was addressed to her. "Of course! The more, the merrier… that is, if Danielle agrees…" she said, putting the spotlight the ghost girl, who agreed with a nod. "Now that it's settled, let's see if I can find something that can fit you for the trip, Raven. It won't be much of a disguise if you walk around in a leotard."

The eldest Fenton sibling got up from the table, beckoning for Raven to follow her upstairs to find a temporary outfit to wear for the day. As they left the room, Jazz silently took in a number of details, such the words 'thank you' that were mouthed by her brother to his girlfriend or the look that Raven gave in reply; one that stated that he owed her a great debt. The silent exchange confirmed Jazz's suspicions that Raven partially agreed to come to keep an eye of Danielle while she was out in the open. Jazz's anticipation for the day increased even more with the prospect of bonding with not only her new little sister but with her brother's girlfriend as well.

VPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVPVP

"Here we are!"

Valara struggled to catch her breath and her composure as she and her new acquaintance, the gregarious girl known as Sparx, finally arrived at their destination. The Azarian sorceress had been dragged through an indeterminate portion of the underground facility at such a breakneck speed that she became quite disoriented as a result. "W-we're where?" she asked in between gasps as her vision and wit finally caught up with her.

"The mess hall, silly. I thought I said that already." The blonde girl grinned before grabbing her newly-made friend by the wrist once again and dragging her through the entrance of said mess hall.

Valara took in the room visually, noting it looked like the typical cafeteria complete with a self serving area and a row of tables that were arranged at the center. Sparx continued to lead the girl towards one of these tables which was currently occupied by three people that were unfamiliar to the young sorceress, but seemed to be acquaintances her blonde companion.

"Hey, guys!" Sparx greeted as they neared the table, which garnered a number of not-so-positive replies from the group, ranging from apathy to hostility, though she didn't seem to notice.

"Well, well, if it isn't the sparkplug herself," a young pre-adolescent girl with aquamarine hair replied in a sneering tone.

The obvious insult was met with a giggle from the blonde girl. "Sparkplug… good one, Cora!"

Having been on the receiving end of such snarky comments from fellow mages during her time at Azarath, Valara was quite surprised by how Sparx reacted. She either was too oblivious to notice she was being insulted or just didn't care, both cases of which confused the young sorceress. Her usual strategy was to make herself as unnoticeable as possible to under everyone's radar: they couldn't make fun of someone they didn't know exist.

Having not received the reaction she was hoping for, Cora gave an annoyed sneer before noticing that they had an outsider in their midst. "Hey, who the hell is that?"

"Oh! This is my new friend… umm, what was your name again?"

Wary of the attention now sent her way, the sorceress took a step behind Sparx. "V-Valara," she stuttered in the quietest of whispers.

"Huh? What was that?" Cora asked belligerently. "Quit whispering already!"

"Her name is Valara Pyre," a new voice spoke, one of the other occupants at the table. Its owner was a girl close to Valara and Sparx's age. Her pale skin contrasted with her long mane of jet black hair, which hung down her back in a loose braid. She wore a Gothic Lolita styled dress almost as white as her skin and covered in a design that looked like an intricate pattern of black vines. She crossed her booted legs, which also matched the design of her dress, and took a long sip of a cup of tea before she continued. "She was in the report a few weeks ago; she was the girl they recovered from Jump City." Her black eyes gave Cora a stare filled with irritation. "Don't you ever read any of the reports?"

"And waste my time reading that boring crap?" Cora replied, scoffing at the notion.

The new girl shook her head disappointedly. "Typical youth. I guess keeping informed is a concept foreign to your immature mind."

"Hey, watch it, you bitch!" The bluenette shot out of her seat pointing her finger. "I'm the oldest one around here, Nerissa, so show some respect!"

Nerissa narrowed her eyes and gave a small smirk. "There is a difference between age and maturity. I guess you can't help but act the way you look. It isn't your fault some of us are more… well-developed than you." As she spoke, she crossed her arms under her chest, emphasizing her bosom.

Cora's eyes widened before narrowing as she let out an almost feral growl. "You bitch! You're asking for it, you know that? Any time, any place, I'll kick your sorry snake ass all over the cafeteria…"

"There you go, resorting to childish threats whenever you feel threatened: how utterly juvenile. I'd say to act your age, but you doing that quite well right now, aren't you?"

"Why you little…" Before Cora could launch herself across the table to attack her sharp tongued tormenter, the final occupant of the table made himself known by standing up and staring down the fuming girl through his long, black bangs, causing her stop in her tracks. She narrowed her eyes and gave a low growl, but her new opponent stood firm and unwavering.

A gasp escaped from Valera's lips when she realized that he was wearing a black straight jacket, whose arms were strapped around his torso, making his limbs immobile. Despite this, he had an aura about him that sent a shiver down her spine and a wild glint in his eye that screamed for blood.

"Calm down, Jacque," Nerissa commanded, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He replied with a low hiss in his voice, "But sister…"

"It's alright, little brother. We were just having some fun, that's all. You big sister can take care of herself."

He paused for a moment to give Cora one last glare before obeying his sister. He sat back down, effectively lifting the air bloodlust that had suddenly overtaken the room. "Yes, sister."

"Yeah, whatever," Cora huffed as she sat back down with her arms crossed. "You're lucky I haven't eaten yet, cause then I would have given you both an ass whopping."

Nerissa raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure." Her tone indicated that thought Cora's boast was highly unlikely.

At that moment Valara's body decided that it was okay for her to breathe again and she let out a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding. She eyed the raven haired brother and sister warily, unsure of what to make of them. Jacque's mere presence made her tremble and his sister's sharp tongue was even more venomous that the mages who tormented her back in Azarath. She hoped never to catch their attention any time soon. Unfortunately attention is exactly what her stomach wanted as the sound it emitted reverberated inside the room. She blushed profusely, moving even further behind Sparx.

"Looks like you're not the only one who is hungry, Cora," Nerissa teased with a demure smile.

"Oh, right! Now I remember. Lari was hungry, so we came to get breakfast!" Sparx explained in her usual bubbly way.

At the mention of food, Cora grunted. "Speaking of breakfast," she commented as one of the cafeteria workers finally made an appearance, bringing over a tray of food and depositing it in front of the girl before hurrying away with a fearful expression on their face.

Valara's stomach turned slightly when she realized what the blue-haired girl's meal was: stacked on top of the tray were a number of slabs of meat, all of which were very much raw. "Are… are you going to eat that??" she asked in awe.

"No duh. I haven't eaten anything since last night and I'm freaking starving!" She gave the girl a large grin, displaying rows of saw-like teeth lining her gums, which she promptly used to tear into one of the raw pieces of flesh. "Mmm, there's still some blood."

Valara's eyes were morbidly transfixed on the younger girl as she made short work of her meal and engorged it all in the span of a few minutes. As a former citizen of both Azarath and Jump City, she had seen her fair share of things normal people would call unusual but this scene caused her knees to begin to buckle and her skin to be drained of its color.

"There you are."

The voice of Julian Marcus brought her out of stupor unexpectedly, causing her to jump in surprise. "Ju-Julian!"

"Heya, Mr. M!" Sparx greeted when she spotted the Englishman. "You know Lari?"

"L-Lari??" Valara stammered, not used to the unusual nickname.

There were varying degrees of responses from the others in the group to the new arrival, varying from Nerissa's indifference to Cora beginning to sputter and looking away nervously.

"Ladies and…" Julian stopped as his eyes rested on Jacque, "… others. If you would excuse us please." Gripping her shoulder firmly, the sorcerer guided his charge out of the cafeteria and into the empty hallway. "Now, would you mind telling me what you were doing…?" Her sudden embrace interrupted his interrogation.

"Oh, thank you Julian," she cried into his chest in a relief-filled tone.

He gave her a concerned look before he replied, "Love, are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," she replied unconvincingly as she detangled herself. "I just never met anyone like… them before."

"That's why I said staying in your room would be best, Lara. Some of the people here are a bit different, as you can see."

Valara lowered her head down disgracefully. "I'm sorry, Julian. It's just that… I've been in there for days and it felt so stuffy in there."

"Catching a little cabin fever, aren't you, lass? Well, then, I'll see what I can do about getting you some fresh air, though I can't make any…" The next hug nearly sent him sprawling as she showed her gratitude.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Danny owes me after this," Raven grumbled under her breath darkly as she followed the Fenton Bargain Hunting Party, as Jazz so aptly named it, though the jungle that was the Amity Park Mall. It was an hour into their expedition and already Raven was feeling the fatigue of following the group, led by Jazz and Maddie, from store to store in the pursuit of the best deals they could find. She never thought that anything could be as bad as shopping with Starfire, but apparently the Fenton ladies could give her Tamaranian teammate a run for her money.

The group had already collected a number of spoils, most of which were for the wide eyed Danielle, though Raven managed to find a few things that she had liked. Anything was better than her current attire, which she had borrowed from Jazz for the trip, since her costume wouldn't be as conspicuous. It had taken her quite a bit of time to find something that hadn't made her look like a complete clone of the eldest Fenton sibling, though Dani wasn't as lucky in that aspect as she now looked like a near mirror image of Jazz, hair band and all. Though the ghost girl was less than thrilled to go on the trip looking as she was, her displeasure disappeared the moment she saw the size of the mall and the shops inside.

Raven looked down and absentmindedly played with one of the bracelets on her wrist, making sure that her skin was the same pinkish tint that is was when they had left the house. Though she was sure of Cyborg's technological prowess, the last thing she needed was for her guise to disappear suddenly. She had to admit that it had felt a little weird looking in the bathroom mirror that morning and seeing a face that was so familiar to her yet so different, especially with the new hairstyle she went with. She had decided to tie her short hair back into a small ponytail to further differentiate herself from usual super heroine persona. Raven was glad for the bit of anonymity that the holo-projectors were giving and could only imagine what kind of stares she would have been receiving if she came in full Titan garb.

"Oh, don't these look nice," Maddie uttered for the umpteenth time that day as she held up another brightly colored article of clothing for Danielle to look at. "Wouldn't this look good on you, Dani?"

Struggling to hold back a groan, Raven looked sympathetically at Danielle, who had another choice in mind.

"What about these?" she asked, holding up a hooded sweat shirt similar to the one they had found her wearing in Jump City. "Since my old one was old and raggedy."

"But you'd look so cute in it, sweetie!"

Mom, we need to let Danielle choose her own identity in order for her to grow up to be a confident young woman," Jazz stated as if she were reciting something from one of her textbooks.

"How about this, then?" Maddie asked, this time holding a sundress.

A look of dislike flashed upon Dani's face for a moment. "But that's too… girlie…" she mumbled under her breath.

"Hey, Raven," Jazz called out, "I think this would look good on y…"

"No," the sorceress replied with a cold stare.

"Or not."

This went on for another twenty minutes or so before they finally left the store and Raven wondered if she would be able to leave this ordeal with her sanity intact. "He definitely owes me," she murmured under her breath once again as watched Jazz, who took it upon herself to be the planner for their trip, consult her itinerary for their next destination.

"We still have a lot of ground to cover," the red-head commented while scribbling something into her notepad. "There are still a couple of places we need to hit, including the book store before lunch."

"Hey, do you think we get something to eat now?" Dani asked innocently as she pointed to the food court across the mall. Her stomach grumbled in agreement.

"I think that's a great idea!" Maddie concurred. "I think a break would do us some good."

"I guess we could have lunch early. But I'm going to have to redo our whole schedule…"

"Alright!" Dani whooped happily over the news and made a beeline straight for the food court.

"Hey, slow down!" Jazz called out as she followed the girl through the crowd.

Thankful for the break in pace, Raven went after the Fenton women and began to focus her thoughts on the youngest of the group. So far it seemed that the trip was doing a good job of getting Dani's mind off the quarrel with her cousin, though Raven knew that it was only a matter of time before things came to a head. The young halfa seemed to share some of the same qualities as her older counterpart, namely their stubbornness. Just as Danny wouldn't budge when it came to protecting his cousin, Dani was equally firm in proving she was capable of taking care of herself.

Raven didn't necessarily favor one side over the other. She knew that Danny was always overprotective when it came to his family and friends, though he seemed even more so when it came to Danielle, which could probably be attributed to the fact that Vlad was involved. She knew that he would do anything in his power to protect his clone to the point of risking his own life without hesitation, though she hoped it would never come to that.

She also couldn't blame Danielle for her frustration with her cousin. The ghost girl was obviously grateful for Danny's part in saving her life and the subsequent hospitality that the Fenton family had given her. Now that she was in good health, all she wanted to do was repay her cousin by helping him, so it was understandable for her to feel aggravated by her cousin's coddling. Dani was not one to stand still and let someone do the fighting for her when she was more than capable of doing it herself. The young Halfa definitely had something to prove to her cousin, though Raven hoped that she didn't go too far to do so.

Raven hoped this state of affairs would eventually work themselves out. Regrettably knowing how similar the two Phantoms were, she was sure that she would eventually have to intervene, probably involving a few swift kicks of 'enlightenment' for both parties. With the threat of Vlad making a move soon looming, they would all need to work together to stop whatever plan he had for Danielle for coming into fruition.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This better be good," Vlad said as he answered his cell phone from the comfort of his hotel room. Although the accommodations weren't as extravagant as his home or Colorado hideaway, but it would do for his hopefully short stay at Amity Park.

""It's me," the voice on the other side replied. "And I have some good news for you, Vlad, baby."

The millionaire held back his tongue at her casual tone before he continued. "Well, lets have it, then."

The voice snickered in reply. "Aren't we impatient?" Her grin was almost audible over the line. "Well, your prediction was right on the money, Vlad. The little twirp finally came out of hiding and from the looks of it she's in perfect health."

A sinister smile spread across his face. "Excellent. I knew that Maddie could do it. Where are you now?"

"Amity Park Mall. Looks like they are taking her shopping. How cute."

Vlad's smile quickly turned into a frown. "I hope you're keeping your distance…"

"Oh, you worry too much," she dismissed. "The belt that you had Technus cook up works like a charm. I could be right next to them and I still wouldn't set off that ghost sense of theirs."

"I hope you aren't thinking of doing anything foolish. You know the rules. You're there only to observe. The last thing we want is for the badger to identify you."

"Oh, but that's the beauty of it, Vlad my dear," she cooed. "The ghost boy isn't here. He never left the house."

The half ghost rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Could it be that Daniel is underestimating me? Or does he have something up his sleeve?" Vlad knew to never underestimate the young halfa since he always seemed to find a way to foil even his most fool proof plans. "Well if that's the case I think that you can have a little fun then. But remember that the moment Daniel appears…"

"We'll get out of here in a hurry, I know," she finished. "Trust me, I'll be good. There will be plenty of misery later on."

* * *

**AN: Who could the mysterious voice on the line be? What kind of plan does Vlad have in store for the Fenton household? Will Raven and Dani be ready for the oncoming onslaught? Stay tuned.**

**As a way to apologize for the late arrival of this chapter, I'll give you a hint of the villains revealed.**

**As you may have noticed with Sparx and Vector, each of the new baddies have two names they go by: a given name and their code name, which also doubles as sort of a last name. Vector is also known as Isaac and Sparx's given name is Caitlin. Their code names are a hint of what their abilities entail.**

**Cora, who was introduced last chapter, also follows the two name rule. Her code name is Aquaria. Not going to tell you what her full powers are, but the name is a pretty good hint. Nerissa's code name is SnakeVine and her brother's, Jacque, codename is "the Viper". If you notice, his full name (Jacque the Viper) is a play on the name Jack the Ripper, which is highly intentional. This brother/sister duo are the twins Cora were referring two before. As you can tell, Nerissa has a pretty sharp tongue and likes to tease Cora about her size. Jacque is the silent but deadly type, who always stands by his sister. A very creepy pair.**

**I also have a nice little surprise. A while ago, I commissioned someone to do a picture of my OC Valara Pyre from "Haunted Destiny". The artist, =morganagod, did quite an excellent job, as you can see here(get rid of spaces in URL):**

http :/ / morganagod . deviantart . com/art/Valara-Pyre-126686223

**Any who, I hope that was enough to appease you all. I promise that the next chapter shall be in at least the next few weeks instead of months away like the last one.**


	20. Chapter 19: Stop Till You Drop Dead

**Author's Notes: Happy New Year, Everyone! As a late Christmas/New Years present and to appease all you who waited patiently, I have a brand new chapter, fresh off the presses! If you remember, last chapter things weren't looking so hot between the two Phantoms and it looks like Vlad has a sinister plan ready to spring on Danielle and the rest of the Fentons. How will things turn out? Well, read on and find out!

* * *

**

Chapter 19: Shop Till You Drop Dead

Sitting at one of the seats in the Amity Park Mall food court, Valerie Gray emitted an audible sigh as she sipped on a mango milkshake, in deep thought. The former ghost huntress was taking break after a failed attempt at a shopping spree. She remembered there was a time before her father had first lost his job when shopping was almost therapeutic for her; a chance for her to get away from the normal teenage stress of school and homework. Unfortunately, the shop-till-you-drop therapy had failed to clear her head of her troubles, more specifically those related to her dreams and a certain ghost.

She had that nightmare again; the same one that had been haunting her for months now. Last night's encore seemed to be more vivid than any of the others, causing her to relive every single detail of that night half a year ago. A shudder traveled down her body as a flash of her last fight with Phantom invaded her consciousness. It was obvious to her that it, and the lack of sleep that came as a result, were triggered by last night's meeting with Phan- no, Danny. She knew that her cure was simple; to finally confront him about that event and somehow put everything to rest. Unfortunately, she found that things weren't that simple.

"He was right there," she mumbled to herself in frustration. She could have easily talked to him in the aftermath of the break-in at Axiom Labs. Though she could have attributed the lack of communication between them to her attending to her father's wellbeing, she knew that wasn't the case. The fact of the matter was, despite what she wanted to believe, she was still afraid of him. Ever since that night when Phantom had shown her just how powerful he truly was, pangs of fear would grip her at his mere mention and being in the same room as him had held her tongue and keeping her at a distance from the ghost boy. She knew the only way to overcome and conquer that fear was to hit it head on.

"Gah, this is so stupid…"

"What's so stupid?" someone asked her curiously.

Valerie looked up from her drink to the voice that greeted her to find a pair of blue eyes staring back at hers. A girl a few years younger than her promptly took a seat on the other side of the table, causing Valerie to look quizzically at the newcomer. "Uh, hi…"

The younger girl beamed gregariously. "Hi, Val!"

Staring dumbfounded at the girl for a moment, the huntress began to scrutinize her closely. "Uh, I don't know you, do I?" Although her face did not ring any bells, there was something familiar about her.

The new arrival's face fell. "You mean you don't remember me?"

"Should I?" The feeling of déjà vu and familiarity weighed on Valerie as she tried to place where she had heard that voice and wondered why the ponytail that adorned the girl's head looked so familiar.

"There you are," another voice called as a young woman close to Valerie's age approached the table. "You shouldn't run off like that, Danielle," she continued, addressing the youngest girl. "Mrs. Fenton and Jazz are getting worried."

"Hey, Rae," Danielle said with a grin while pointing at Valerie, "Guess who I found?"

It took a few moments until the various pieces of the puzzle finally fit in the African-American girl's head. "Wait, Dani?!"

The grin on the ghost girl's face widened, "With an 'I'. Now do you remember?"

"But how…" The huntress was at a loss for words at the ghost girl's arrival and appearance, which answered at least the question of her humanity, but introduced many more. With her hair and eyes, she could easily pass as Danny's little sister, but as far as Valerie knew, he didn't have one. Her attention then shifted over to the other girl. "So you must be Ra…"

"Rachel. Rachel Roth," Raven interrupted abruptly. "Danny's friend from out of town. We've met."

"Right. Rachel," the huntress played along. It was obvious that this was Raven of the Teen Titans, judging from her features, though Valerie was confused by the sorceress's presence.

"You should come shopping with us!" Dani interjected suddenly, catching both Raven and Valerie off guard."Mrs. Fenton and Jazz are helping me look for some new clothes, but I can't seem to find anything I really like. You should definitely come give us a hand!"

"I'm not sure I should," Valerie replied. "I mean, I don't want to intrude or anything…"

"Pleeeease?" The young halfa gave her the most adorable puppy dog face she could muster.

Unsure of how to respond, Valerie focused her gaze on Raven, who simply shrugged. "As long as you don't try to put me in anything, you can come."

"Oh," the huntress replied simply. "Is… is Danny with you guys?"

The moment she said Danny's name, Valerie noticed that the mood of the other two changed dramatically. Danielle's face seemed somewhat darker by the mention of her namesake while Raven had a concerned look as she eyed the ghost girl. She wondered if their change in demeanor had anything to do with the apparent argument between the two ghosts the night before.

"He's not here," Dani replied with a solemn expression. "And I don't want him to be. I mean, can you believe he doesn't think that I can't take care of myself?"

"He never said that," Raven interjected.

"He didn't have to say it. He's treating me like I'm some kid who needs a baby sitter." She shifted her attention towards Valerie. "You saw how much we kicked butt last night, right? I don't need him taking care of me all the time."

Before either Raven or Valerie could respond, a shrill scream cut through the usual bustle of the mall crowds."GHOST!!" someone at the other side of the complex cried, sending everyone in the immediate area into a panicked frenzy. All three girls looked in the direction where the screams originated, their eyes scanning the area for immediate threats.

Valerie suddenly felt a hand clamp onto her shoulder and with it a chill and tingle ran though her as her body began to sink into the floor. "What the…" Turning to find the owner of the hand, she found Danielle, who gently controlled their descent until they landed inside a storage room below.

"Sorry," the ghost girl replied as she made them solid again. "I thought that Raven would have stopped us."

The ghost huntress regarded the girl quizzically. "Stop us from doing what, exactly?"

Dani gave the older a girl a large, energetic grin. "Kick some ghost butt, that's what! I remember how awesome we were last night, so I was hoping you'd want a piece of the action."

"Wait, shouldn't we let Raven and Danny take care of this?"

A look of disappointment crossed the ghost girl's face, which was quickly replaced by a look of determination. "Are you kidding me? This my chance to prove to Danny that I don't need his help and I can kick as much ghost butt as he can!"

Dani's words caused something to click in Valerie's mind and any hesitation that might have had seemed to dissipate. She let out a huge sigh while her suit came to life and covered her body, "Fine, we'll take care of this just this once, spook."

"Alright!" the ghost girl cried out gleefully as rings of light appeared around her waist.

"Wow," Valerie commented as she watched the girl transform into her ghost form, confirming that this was the same girl from last night. "So, where exactly are we…" The feeling of both weightlessness and intangibility overcame her as her new partner in crime carried her towards impending doom.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

He should have expected this. Living in a town as weird and unpredictable as Amity Park, Tucker should have known that expecting a normal day of summer vacation was an almost futile gesture. He had been hoping for a lazy day filled with sleeping in late without the prospect of school, followed by hanging out with his friends doing whatever crossed their minds. Unfortunately, his dreams were shattered the moment his cell phone rang that morning.

"I'm going to kill him," the person on the other end had stated with venomous intent the moment he pressed the talk button on his cell phone.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, Sam?" he grumbled in reply, irritated that slumber had been interrupted. He grabbed his glasses from his dresser and took a look at the clock on his dresser. "Nine in the morning I shouldn't be awake for another three hours, at least…"

"I don't give a crap about your sleep cycle, Tucker," she barked through the line. "This is serious. Have you even seen the news this morning?"

Tucker grunted in pain from the volume of her voice. "Didn't I just say I was asleep? How the heck did I read the news if I was off in lala land?"

"Well, then I suggest you should. Now."

An exasperated sigh escaped the techno-geek's lips as he reached for his PDA at the side of his bed and scrolled through the articles of his news feed. The first thing that caught his attention were the three stories from various news organizations heralding the return of Phantom to his hometown as he stopped would-be thieves from burglarizing a local facility the night before. "Nice. Danny made it on the news."

"Exactly."

"Exactly what? What are you so worked up about?" he asked.

This time it was Sam's turn to sigh as if she were ready to explain something to a child. "He should have called, Tucker. He promised he was letting us help him and then he goes off and leaves us in the dust, as usual."

The gears of understanding began moving in Tucker's mind despite the sleep still in his eyes. "We shouldn't be jumping to conclusions, Sam," he replied. "We don't know what happened. " His next sentence was in a more hushed tone, "And at least he had the courtesy to let me sleep."

"He probably ditched us because he was with _her_." she shot back, spitting out the last word as if it was some piece of meat byproduct invading her mouth.

"Jumping to conclusions isn't going to get us anywhere, Sam. For all we know, he just didn't have time to call us for any help."

"Or he just doesn't need it," she replied. "Either way, that's an easy problem to solve; I'm going to head over there right now to give him a piece of my mind."

He answered with a sense of foreboding. "Sam…"

"You aren't going to talk me out of this, Tucker," she warned before she promptly hung up.

Despite her warning, the African-American decided to at least try and stop her before she let her temper get the better of her. He shot out of bed, quickly showered, dressed and was out the door of his house in under five minutes. Knowing that she would be well on her way, he decided to intercept her en route, racing through every shortcut he could to reach her before all hell broke loose.

He somehow managed to catch up with her just a few blocks away from FentonWorks. "Sam, wait!" Tucker spurted out in between heavy huffs from exerting himself. Surprisingly she complied, though by her stance he knew she wouldn't wait long . "At least promise me you're going to give him a chance to explain instead of biting his head off the moment we get there."

Surprisingly, the Goth teen turned to face her friend. "I'm not making any promises," she replied before continuing her trek, the heavy soles of her combat boots stomping heavily onto the asphalt.

Tucker stared into her back as he followed her knowing that anything else he said would fall on deaf ears. He only hoped that he would be able to step in and mediate the impending disaster. He watched as she pressed the front doorbell and waited for the inevitable to occur and fortunately it never came. Tucker was sure that Sam was ready to launch one of her signature tirades but noticed that she froze the moment the door opened.

Standing in the doorway was Danny, who looked as if he just finished working out at the gym, wearing a pair of shorts and sneakers. Apart from the towel that currently draped his shoulders, his chest was noticeably bare, glistening with sweat and as Tucker noticed, definitely catching the attention of a certain vegetarian. Tucker barely held back a grin as Sam's violet eyes were inexplicably drawn to the hero's muscles, formed after two years of constant ghost hunting. Any hostility that the Goth seemed to have had before their arrival had all but evaporated, leaving her in a discombobulated state.

"I, uh…" Sam managed to utter nervously.

Despite Sam's obvious state, the Fenton cluelessness did its job, making Danny oblivious to her gawking. "Hey guys," he replied, moving out of the way to let them pass. "Give me a sec and let me shower and change. I'll be back in a jiff."

Tucker, seeing that Danny's words hadn't yet fully registered in Sam's mind, managed to pull her into the living room while Danny made his way up the stairs.

"That… was Danny…?" Sam muttered in a breathless tone when she finally found her voice moments later.

"Our boy has been taking his vitamins, that's for sure," Tucker replied with a sidelong glance. "Like what you saw?" He felt the heat of a withering glare as payment for his teasing.

"You are so dead, Tucker."

"Yeah, but the look on your face was worth it."

Before she could offer another retort, Danny entered the room now sporting his usual shirt and jeans, along with a slightly apprehensive expression. Sam did her best to avert her gaze, clearly embarrassed by her unbridled gaping.

"You guys are early," he stated. "I wasn't expecting you to show up till later today."

"Well, I was more than willing to sleep in late," Tucker began while shifting his gaze quickly onto Sam, "But after we heard you had a little fun last night, we wanted to know what happened."

Danny's face seemed to contort for a few moments before settling into a troubled frown. "Can we please not talk about last night?"

Tucker and Sam exchanged glances, their interest definitely piqued by their friend's response. "Come on, dude. It couldn't have been that bad," Tucker said half jokingly and instantly regretted opening his mouth when he received a disbelieving glare from his friend.

"It couldn't have been that bad?" Danny repeated in an irritated tone. "What part couldn't have been that bad? Getting woken up in the middle of the night to walk into what could have been a trap sprung my arch nemesis? Or getting my butt knocked across the front lawn of Axiom Labs by new bad guys; that couldn't have been that bad. How about when Valerie showed up and I couldn't say a single thing to her or when Danielle appeared despite the fact I explicitly told her to stay at home where it was safe. And of course who can forget coming home to a freaked out Mom who isn't used to having me leave in the middle of the night to fight ghosts, getting into not one but two arguments with my cousin and having her now give me the cold shoulder because she thinks I'm overprotective?!"

Both Sam and Tucker were stunned to silence by their friend's sudden tirade and watched as he collapsed into his seat and placed his face into his awaiting hands. Neither of them dared to speak for a few minutes as they digested the contents Danny's outburst. Tucker's face wore an especially guilty look for inadvertently initiating the response. "Sorry, Danny."

"You didn't know," the halfa replied with an apologetic sigh. "And I'm sorry for blowing up like that; I just haven't had a great time the past twelve hours."

"Anything we could do to help?" Tucker queried sincerely.

Danny looked up at his beret-wearing friend. "Not unless you can get Dani to talk to me **-**or at least talk to me without yelling."

"Well, I'm not one to talk, seeing how I'm an only child," Sam spoke up for the first time entering the Fenton household. Though the initial anger she had earlier this morning seemed to have all but vanished, her voice still had a subtle scathing undertone. "But you do have to admit that Dani has a point about you being a tad on the overprotective side. It's not like she can't take care of herself."

The outburst that should have come from Sam's remarks never came; instead Danny let out another remorseful sigh. "I know, I know, but I can't help it if I want to keep her away from Vlad" He looked thoughtful as he continued. "Actually, Raven said the same thing this morning."

Tucker smirked at the frown Sam now wore from being compared to Danny's current love interest. "Wait, so you and Raven made up?"

Danny managed to conjure up a smile in response. "One of the few good things that happened since last night. We managed to patch things up before things went south, which is a good thing because I don't think I could handle both her and Dani being angry at me at the same time."

"How are you holding up?" Tucker asked.

"Barely," the halfa responded. "I thought maybe she'd calm down from last night but she pretty much tried to bite my head off this morning. Raven thought I should give Dani some space and I know she's right but…"

"Where is Dani, anyway?" Sam asked suddenly, noticing the relative silence in the house. "Where is everyone else for that matter? Usually your dad sets off at least an explosion or two by now."

"Yeah, they're at the mall shopping for clothes and stuff for Dani. I would have gone, but she doesn't seem to want me around at the moment, so Raven went with them."

Sam's look changed to one of confusion. "Well, isn't a superhero walking around the mall going to get some attention?"

Danny's grin returned. "The other good thing to come out of last night. Apparently, one of the gifts I got from Cyborg to give to her had something in it to make her look normal." His smile widened. "She looked awesome…"

Tucker's technophile nature kicked at the description that his friend gave. "Dude, she has a holographic emitter? You have to let me have a look at it!" The techno-geek was so enamored that he failed to notice the furrowed brow Sam was now sporting.

"I don't think Raven would like you dissecting her present, Tuck," the halfa replied with a chuckle, though his expression changed a moment later. "Even though Raven is there I can hardly keep myself from going ghost and keeping an eye on her myself. I tried taking my mind off things by doing some training down in the lab, but that didn't work out too well."

"Well, why don't do something over at my house, then," Sam suggested. "I'm sure we can find something to clear your head."

"Thanks, guys. I really…" Danny was stopped mid-sentence by a familiar chime emanating from his pocket. The ghost boy fished out his Titan communicator, to which Tucker responded to what could only be described as a squeal. "And no, you aren't going to dissect this either, Tuck." Danny warned. He flipped open the lid and looked at the report that flashed on screen. "Oh, no…"

"What happened?" both Tucker and Sam stated in unison. The only response they got was their friend transforming into his ghostly alter-ego and shooting like a rocket though the ceiling without a word. The duo shared a look before Sam spoke.

"Ten guesses to where he's headed."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This was the part of the job he loved best.

The ghost appeared in front of an already fleeing couple, uttering a "boo" before sending them into the opposite direction. The screams of terror his random appearances throughout the shopping complex caused brought a satisfying grin upon his face. Causing terror and mayhem was what he did best and he loved every minute of it, even though he was limited to just one form at the moment.

"Looks like someone's having fun," a voiced chimed in earpiece he wore.

"Would be a lot more fun if you let me transform a few times, Spectra," he replied.

"Now, now Berty; you know the plan. The moment you change forms, the brat will know that it's us that are messing with his cousin. The longer we can keep him out of the loop, the more delicious this will be when all this is over."

"That's the only reason I'm agreeing to this," Bertrand stated, looking down at his current form: that of an amorphous blob. In this state he looked like any other low-level ghost but at the same time allowed to do some simpler morphing without raising some suspicion. "I still don't trust Plasmius."

"Is that jealously I hear, Berty?" Spectra's voice asked.

The ghost huffed. "Jealous of what? What you do with that halfa in your spare time is none of my damn business."

"Don't be such a prude," she replied. "What's wrong with mixing a little pleasure with business? Besides, we both what we want in the end: watching that twerp Phantom suffer." Her grin could practically be heard over the comm. "Don't worry, Berty. I won't replace you any time soon."

He didn't reply to her teasing opting to reach higher ground to gain a better perspective of his surroundings and to admire his work. The mall was nearly empty now and yet Phantom's female clone was nowhere to be found, despite all the ruckus he had created to gain her attention. "Are you sure she'll show up? Maybe they know something is up?"

"Oh, she'll show if she's anything like the original. Speaking of which, I think you should be ducking now."

After a moment of confusion and hesitation, Bertrand sunk his head into his gelatinous body just as a bolt of ectoplasmic energy whizzed over him. His crimson eyes scanned the scene for the source of the attack, stopping at the black and white figure that rose up to match his height. He grinned as he put on his game face: show time.

"Hey ugly," Dani began cockily, "Causing trouble while a girl is trying to shop isn't such a good idea, especially when that girl is me."

Bertrand stopped himself from laughing out loud; she definitely shared Phantom's love of witty banter. "And who are you supposed to be," he asked snidely, "apart from a fangirl?"

His remark seemed to get to her, judging from the anger that flashed on her face for a mere second. "The name's Dani Phantom, with an 'I' and I'm the one who's going to kick your butt back into the Ghost Zone," she boasted.

"Oh, how original," the ghost replied nonchalantly. "I seriously doubt that, sweetie. The _real Phantom _maybe has a chance of challenging me but not a wannabe copycat fangirl like you." A grunt was the only reply received before she launched herself at him with hands glowing emerald and an infuriated look on her face. Feigning indifference, Bertrand yawned and the moment one of the ghost girl's fists should have collided with him, his body separated into blobs of ectoplasm, causing her to sail right through before he reassembled himself. "You aren't very good at this, are you?"

She rebounded off of a nearby wall and went after him again, this time igniting the souls of her feet and letting loose with a number of arcs from her legs. Her attacks seemed to be in vain, however, as each one was evaded by Bertrand, who used his viscid form to morph or separate his way out of danger. "Hold still!" she yelled in frustration as she fired a ghost ray which was avoided by the formation of a hole in his torso.

"Come, honey, you can't be _that_ bad," he teased. "The real Phantom would have landed a hit by now." Just as he finished his sentence, a blast hit his backside, sending him careening into a wall with a large splat.

"Like that?" Valerie asked as she floated towards Dani. "That ghost giving you trouble, kid?"

"I wanted to do that," Dani muttered angrily as she eyed the green mess on the wall when a face suddenly formed onto the goo, giving both girls a grin.

"Well, lucky me. A wannabe and a wash-up; two little girls coming to beat up on the big scary ghost," he teased as his form congealed and he pried himself off of the wall. "You sure you haven't bitten off more than you can chew, ladies?"

"I'll show you wash-up, you sorry excuse for a ghost!" Valerie's arms were up and pointing directly at the ghost, each wrist sporting an ecto-blaster humming with energy and waiting to be fired. "Care to say something else, ghost?" Besides her Dani had stayed noticeably silent, though her eyes flared with neon green and her hands matched their intensity.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it ladies?" Bertrand taunted, grinning as he noticed Dani's agitated state. "If I'm a little bit more than you can handle, why don't you girls run along and call me when Phantom shows up."

"Why you little…" Before Valerie could finish her sentence or make good on her threat to the apparition, a black, white, and green blur flew past her towards Bertrand at breakneck speed. Hey wait! Hold up!"

Smiling ever so smugly, Bertrand dodged her first attack and every one that came after, pleased that his taunting had done its job to make her easier to read. This younger Phantom was very much like her namesake, prone to telegraphing her attacks the more frustrated she became. Though he didn't want to admit it, the intel Plasmius had sent them on the brat's fighting style was also helpful in keeping one step ahead of her. The more he kept out of her reach, the angrier the look she gave him and the wilder her strikes became. He decided to add some more fuel to the fire, "I'm sure Phantom would be happy to know you're doing such a good job."

"Shut up!" Dani screamed before charging blindly into him, or rather she would have if he hadn't formed a hole into his midsection, allowing her to fly straight through. She stopped herself midair and turned to launch another assault when something slammed into her chest, sending her flying into the nearest wall with a thud. Shaking off the effects of the impact, the ghost girl found her bearings and tried to move, only to find herself stuck to the wall by green ooze which encased much of her body. "What the…"

"I hope you're comfy," a voice said as the ectoplasm began to talk, forming face and head as it did so. "Oh, and I would try anything funny," Bertrand continued, this time focusing his attention on Valerie, who had her weapons ready. "You wouldn't want to hurt the wannabe, now would you?" He watched as her weapons lowered slightly, indicating that she had gotten the point.

Dani struggled against her restrains and let out a frustrated cry. "Let me go!"

"Hmmm, let's think about that… how about no," the ghost replied.

"I said," she continued through gritting teeth, "Let…Me...**GO**!" As she spoke, her hands, which like the rest of her body was covered in ooze, began to glow brighter and brighter with energy until it detonated, creating a blast that separating herself and the ghoul from the wall and leaving a sizable crater. She righted herself once she was free and shook the debris from her hair as she found her bearings

Reforming his body took longer than Bertrand had expected since the explosion seemed to have affected him more than he would have liked. He spotted his target and was ready to throw another verbal quip when a large claw of black energy clamped itself onto his torso and immobilized him.

"Are you two alright?" Raven asked as she got closer, her glowing hand commanding the construct that put the ghost in his place.

"And who the heck are you?" the shape shifter demanded with a hint of worry in his voice. His query earned him a glare that would have sent a chill down his spine if he currently had one.

"You are going to shut up now," the sorceress commanded darkly, "Or else you might find yourself decorating the mall."

"Don't you think now would be a good time to make a hasty retreat, Berty," Spectra suggested mischievously through the comm in his ear. Unable to answer normally he simply gave an angry hiss before focusing on his captor.

"Oh, I'd love to stay and chat and critique the lovely mess you ladies have made," he waived his hands at the various holes and scorch marks now decorating the mall,"But I do have other plans…" His form suddenly began to liquefy, allowing him to easily slip the grasp of his makeshift prison and hit the sound with a sickening splat. He reformed his face just to give one last bit of advice, "And by the way, wannabe: you could have just phased through the wall." Blowing a raspberry, he turned intangible and phased through the ground before any of the girls had a chance to reach him.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP

Danny moved as fast as his spectral form would let him, hoping that he would be able to make it in time and he would be able to stop whatever plan Vlad had set in motion. It was obvious to him that Vlad was behind this; the timing was too perfect. It wasn't as if he hadn't trusted Raven and his family in keeping Dani safe, but something inside him compelled him to be there and help his cousin the only way he knew how.

He made to the mall in record time and began scanning the situation. He immediately noticed the police presence outside the mall, keeping a crowd of curious onlookers from getting any closer to the facility. The crowd was relatively quiet, save for a small disturbance at one of the barriers closest to the facility where a number of people seemed to be arguing heatedly with the law enforcers. Danny wasn't going to make much of it until he realized that the two making the commotion had near-matching auburn hair and one was in a blue jumpsuit.

"Look, it's him!" he heard someone in the crowd shout and soon after most of the spectators had their attention to the sky and at him. A number of cheers erupted from them, along with many hoots and hollers at the ghostly hero's arrival though Danny didn't care to notice. Making a beeline for the squabble he noticed earlier, he landed on the police side of the barricade.

His entrance caught everyone's attention, especially that of Jazz and his mother, who up until he appeared had been arguing with the police. "Da- Phantom!" Jazz quickly corrected herself. "They aren't letting us in."

"Like I told you before, Ma'am," a lieutenant spoke up, eying Phantom warily, "We have our orders from the Mayor's office. No one is to enter the facilities except for Phantom or the GiW."

"Uh, guys," Danny began, addressing the officers, "The Fentons are with me. Wherever I go, they go."

"Uh, right," the lieutenant replied uneasily, conflicted about taking orders from the former public enemy but he complied and motioned the others to allow the Fenton women to pass.

Wasting no time, the ghost boy grabbed his mother and sister by the waist and flew them towards the mall and out of earshot of crowd. "Where is everybody? Where are Dani and Rae?"

The women exchanged looks and hesitated for a second before Maddie decided to answer. "We're not sure, Danny," she replied truthfully. "We got separated during the panic and Jazz and I got pulled along with the crowd during the evacuation."

Danny's response to their explanation was to increase his speed, using his intangibility to phase into the now evacuated building. He set them down on the ground floor and immediately set his ghost sense into overdrive, hoping to pinpoint any ectoplasmic disturbances. Surprisingly he couldn't find any, except for the small one that was Dani's when she was in her human form. "This way," he called as he sped past his family members leaving them in his wake.

He slowed down the moment he spotted Raven and Dani along with a guest he was not expecting: Valerie. The three girls were in their civilian clothes, which indicated that whatever trouble had happened was now over, but the looks on their faces indicated that it wasn't necessarily a victory, especially the dejected expression that Dani wore. Both Valerie and Raven had a worried expression as they eyed the younger Phantom with concern.

"Guys!" The moment that he called out to them, he noticed the immediate change in Dani's demeanor as her body became stiff and her gaze became fixated with the ground. "Rae, Dani, is everything alright? Are you hurt?"

The silence between them was deafening and lasted a minute before Raven replied. "We're fine, but maybe we should go home before we get into what happened."

His anxiety climbing even further, the ghost boy wanted to press for an explanation but was interrupted by the arrival of Jazz and Maddie.

It was then that Dani finally reacted by running past Danny and into Mrs. Fenton's surprised arms with a sob. "I just want to go home," her muffled voice requested through Maddie's jump suit.

"Anything you want, dear," the matriarch spoke softly as she escorted the girl towards the exit.

Danny watched as Jazz trailed behind the two followed by Valerie, who like Dani also averted her gaze from the ghost boy. He gave Raven a look that pleaded with her for some answers, to which she answered with one that asked for patience and promised answers in time. He reluctantly nodded and let out a frustrated sigh as she brought up the rear of the group, leaving the halfa to wonder at the events he had missed.

PSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPS

"You were in excellent form today, Berty," Penelope Spectre complimented her assistant as she watched the Fenton Clan leave. "I mean, you were really cutting lose, weren't you. I couldn't have done a better job myself." She gave a moment to think. "Well, I could have done it a little bit better..."

Besides her, Bertrand was in his human guise, a small, graying mustached man in his forties, wearing a metallic looking belt similar to the one she wore and looking smug with himself. "I was good, wasn't I," he replied, stroking his own ego. "That kid's buttons were so easy to push, I hardly had to try. She's even more insecure than Phantom."

"Oh, and that misery." Spectra smiled and closed her eyes as if she were basking in the sunlight. "Nothing beats teenage angst."

"So glad you enjoyed yourself," Bertrand smirked, pleased by her praise. "Did you get everything on film?"

The ghostly psychiatrist's grin grew even wider as she held up a small video camera. "Every last minute. Just a couple of creative edits and it'll be show time for the ghost girl. I only wish I could see the look on her face when we make her famous…"

* * *

**AN: Oh, schnap. Spectra and Bertrand are up to their old tricks. Something tells me Things are about to get much worse for Dani.**

**Special thanks for Cori for once again Betaing my story. **


End file.
